The Princess and the Dragon
by LumiOlivier
Summary: (AU) She wants to be where the wizards are. However, her father has other plans for her. Stay out of the books, Lucy! You don't need to practice magic! How do you expect to further the bloodline if you don't meet anyone?
1. The Secret of Mother's Key

**A/N: Hi there, beautiful people. Happy New Year to all of you. For those of you that are just tuning in and have never read my stories before, welcome! My name is Lumi and I have a dog laying at my feet while I write this. I've never written for Fairy Tail before. This is a first for me. Honestly, I've been sitting on this particular chapter for a while now. When you have a nine year old nephew that you want to get into reading more and has an obsession with Fairy Tail, you write him something special. When you're going down the road in the car and ask him how he feels about a traditional fairytale with the princess and the prince and he kind of rolls his eyes at it, you suggest the princess and the dragon. Hence the title. He didn't know it was going to be for Fairy Tail. I just asked him if he'd be interested in being my beta (and by the way, if you want to leave a nice message for my other beta, that's havarti2. My special bean.) and I told him that he'd get to read it before anyone else. Needless to say, he was pretty cool with it. And once he got to the end of this chapter, he realized it was a Fairy Tail story and now, he's pretty stoked to be my initial beta. And now, I'm going to shut up and let you guys read this, ok? This will be a regular occurrence every Monday, so if your weekend sucked, at least you know you have this to look forward to. Without further dudes, enjoy!**

What does it say about a girl when the key to her heart isn't just a metaphor? Even more of a mind twist, what does it say about her when she's born into royalty and hates every minute of it? Being royal is definitely not all that it's cracked up to be. More than anything, it's exhausting. Between lessons and my father being the parent of the year, all I wanted was something…not as monotonous.

I heard stories all across the kingdom of wizards going off on great adventures doing great things. They helped anyone in need and they were respected for it, even held on pedestals for it! That sounded like the kind of life I wanted to live. I always wanted to learn magic, but my father would never allow it in a million years.

Mom would have, though. When she died, all she left me with was a gold key with some squiggles on the handle. I never understood what it meant or what it even went to. What do you unlock, gold key? How are you supposed to help me learn magic? I still hope to become a wizard one day. Maybe even one of the greatest. How was I supposed to do that if I'm stuck in the mansion?

I left the confines of my bedroom and snuck down the hall to the library. Our library was huge. Mom would bring me in here when I was little all the time. We practically lived in here. But those were days long passed. When these books weren't covered with an inch of dust on them. When the house felt less empty and Dad still smiled.

One book in particular stood out among the rest. A bright blue spine caught my eye. Celestial magic…Yes, please! I grabbed the book and bolted back to my room. At this point, I didn't even care what kind of magic I learn. As long as it was magic. For the next few hours, I lost myself in the history of celestial wizards. If they can do it, why can't I?

"Miss Lucy," one of the maids came in. I snapped my book shut and slid it under my bed, "It's time for dinner."

"Alright," I caught my breath, "I'll be down in a minute."

"Yes, ma'am," she curtseyed to me and ran off. The maids knew everything. They couldn't be trusted. If they find out I'm learning magic or know I'm remotely interested, there's no doubt in my mind they'd tell my father. I don't even want to know what he'd do if he found out. For now, I just had to get through dinner with my father. Then, I could get back to my book. Maybe there are more in the library on celestial magic. After dinner, I'll have to look. Instead, I'll have to endure an hour of harsh silence and being uncomfortable.

"Hello, Lucy." Wow. I guess I can get two words out of him today. What an honor.

"Hello, Father," I took my seat at the table.

"How are you?" Up to five? Is it my birthday? Am I dying?

"Fine," I answered flatly, "How are you?"

"Fine."

My father never was one for much conversation unless he was discussing business. Even when Mom was still alive, she'd usually do most of the talking at our parties. The last one we had was just some fruitless attempt to marry me off to some prince. Gross. None of them were even nice. Or cute. They all came from prominent families, so that's all that mattered, right? Royalty marrying royalty? Because your daughter's happiness isn't nearly as important as passing along the great Heartfilia bloodline? And the grand history of the family, there's never been a wizard, so don't bother, Lucy.

You don't have to know, do you? I'm sure I could teach myself celestial magic. How hard could it be? I went back to my room to throw myself into learning how celestial magic worked. One of the many types of holder magic, celestial magic occurs when the caster makes a contract with a celestial spirit. To make a contract, summon the spirit with its corresponding gate key. The picture in the book looked like the key Mom left me. That must be a gate key! I knew she'd want me to learn magic!

Let's see. Going by the cart in one of the books, the key I had was Aquarius. To summon Aquarius, I needed some sort of body of water. I guess that makes sense. The gate of the water bearer would be in the water. It's too bad I couldn't get to the pool or the fountain at this time of night without being seen. But I had my bathtub. I wanted to make a good first impression on my first celestial spirit. Something felt rude about summoning a celestial spirit from a toilet. Once I finished running the tub, I got my footing ready. Time to summon my first spirit!

"Open," I got my key "Gate of the water bearer, Aquarius!"

Nothing. I don't understand. I did everything right, didn't I? Then, shouldn't there be some kind of spectacle going on? I have to say, I'm a little underwhelmed. Maybe celestial magic isn't the type for me. But maybe if I put the gate key in the water, that'll help?

Let's try that again!

"Open!" I stuck the gate key in the water, "Gate of the water bearer, Aquarius!"

A bright light emanated from the key and a striking mermaid came up from the water. She didn't look too happy to see me, "Fantastic. Just what I need. Another celestial wizard thinking it's ok to drop my gate key."

"Are you Aquarius?" I asked.

"That's me," she grumbled, "What do you want?"

"I…" I shook like a leaf in a storm. I've never met a celestial spirit before, "I'm not a wizard yet. I just wanted to…"

"Look, kid," Aquarius rolled her eyes, "Gate keys aren't toys. If you're going to test one, don't hit the ground running, got it?"

"Wait!" I stopped her, taking this a little more seriously, "My name is Lucy Heartfilia and I'd like to enter a contract with you."

"You?" she scoffed, "You are new at this, aren't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Am I the first celestial spirit you've ever summoned in your life?" Aquarius draped her fin over the edge of my bathtub.

"Yes, ma'am."

"You have to have a reason for summoning us, for one," she idly splashed her fin…drenching me in the process, "Not all of us are as sweet and cuddly as I am."

"Good," I let out a sigh of relief.

"When you get a better handle on it," Aquarius ordered, "Drop my gate key again and we'll discuss a contract. Until then, leave me alone and go bug someone else."

"But Aquarius," I kept her just a little longer, "Your key is the only one I have.

"Ugh…" she sunk deeper in the water, "You caught me feeling charitable. Look, some of the shops in town sell silver gate keys. Those are a dime a dozen. But the gold ones? Like mine? Those are zodiac keys. Those are going to be a little harder to come by. You'll have to pay through the nose for something like that."

"What's the difference between…"

"Pick up a book!" Aquarius snapped, "Do you expect me to be your magical encyclopedia? Try again!"

And just like that, she returned to her gate. Rude. She doesn't even bother to say goodbye. Oh well. Silver gate keys can be bought in the shops, huh? It looks like I'm going to have to do some shopping soon. It was getting late. Really late. I didn't think I'd be up all night in the books, but here I was. Fingers crossed I had nothing to do today and I could just catch up on sleep. I could get another key later. Right now, I'll shut my eyes for a little while.

"Miss Lucy," one of the maids came in, "Miss Lucy…"

"Hmm?" I moaned, "What?"

"Are you alright?" she worried, "You're not sick, are you?"

"No," I shoved my fist in my eye, "I'm fine. I just had a late night last night."

"What could you have been doing up so late?" she wondered.

"Studying." Immediately, I shut my mouth. She didn't need to know that. I did a quick glance around my room, making sure the books were hidden. Good. Under my bed.

"That sounds nice," the maid didn't dig any deeper, setting my mind at ease. Instead, she went about her daily chores, doing a quick tidying of my bathroom. I'm sure I had enough of the puddle Aquarius was kind enough to leave me with cleaned up, "Excuse me, Miss Lucy, but why is there a key in here?"

Oops! Aquarius's gate key! Think on your feet, Lucy. Think on your feet, "It's for the medicine cabinet. I found it last night."

"It's a pretty key," she left it alone, "By the way, Miss, your father's looking for you."

Awesome. I can't wait. This should be fun. I got out of bed and got dressed, dredging my feet to my father's study. I'd rather deal with Aquarius's attitude problem right now than my father's powder keg mood. I could only imagine what he wanted to see me about.

"You wanted to see me, Father?" I stepped foot in his study. Carefully as to not upset him.

"Hello, Lucy," he greeted me, "Please. Sit."

"Ok," I did as I was told, "What is it?"

"You've been in your room too much lately," he complained, "You need to be more social instead of always having your nose in a book. How do you expect to pass along the Heartfilia bloodline that way?"

"The books make for better company most of the time," I mumbled to myself. Besides, in the books I've been reading for the past week, I can learn how to summon plenty of friends. I can socialize that way. If I get good enough, I could even join a guild!

"What was that, Lucy?" Father scolded.

"Nothing, sir," I bit my tongue and let him finish.

"I want you to go out today," he ordered, "The fresh air will do you good. Maybe knock some sense into you."

Just like that, an idea popped into my head as a great opportunity came knocking, "You're absolutely right. Maybe I should go to town and meet people."

"I see…" he looked me over, skeptical of my sudden compliance, "There's a carriage waiting for you downstairs. I suggest using it."

"Yes, sir," I jumped up from my chair and took off for town. Magnolia seemed so peaceful. I'd love to get a place here one day. Somewhere away from the family estate and on my own. Now, Aquarius said that I could find more gate keys in the shops. And with Magnolia being a guild town, there was no shortage of magic shops around here. Which begged the question…Where do I start?

 **A/N: One chapter down, God only knows how many left to go. I really can't wait to see how this takes off. Because I have a lot of fantastic ideas for this story. And I can't wait to share them all with you. And to think, this is only the beginning. So, until next week, friends. I'll see you next chapter. xx**


	2. A Wizard's Quest

**A/N: Hello. Welcome back, my dudes. It is that time of the week again. First of all, the response that this story has gotten already makes my heart so happy. So, thank you. You all deserve a pat on the back and a cookie. And I'll even throw in a hug redeemable any time you see me in the wild. Unless, like, you see me in public and I'm kind of rocking myself back and forth. Then, approach with caution, if at all. Regardless, I'm so glad you guys are liking this so far. How about I shut up and let you read the next chapter? Sound like a plan?**

"A celestial wizard, huh?" the old man behind the counter smiled at me. I needed some help and where better than the first magic shop I find?

"Yes, sir," I nodded, taking out my key ring, "I only just started practicing, though. My key collection isn't all that big. Just this one."

"But to start out with one of the zodiac keys?" he studied Aquarius's key a little closer, "You're in good shape, young lady. Did you manage a contract?"

"Not yet," I told him, putting my key back on my belt loop, "But do you have any of the other zodiac keys?"

"I'm sorry," he shot me down, "I don't. And I don't think any of the other shops here do either. Maybe if you're lucky, you could join the guild. Sometimes, people will offer zodiac keys as a reward. That is, if they're willing to part with them."

"Oh…" I groaned, "Thanks anyway…"

"Hold on there, Miss," he stopped me, "If you're looking to add to your key ring, I can help you there."

"Really?" I perked back up.

"I have one silver gate key in stock," the man offered, "For a thousand joule, I'll give it to you."

"I'll take it!" I took some money out of my bag and traded it for a shiny, silver key. I wonder what kind of spirit this one will introduce me to. When I get home, I'll have to look up what the little harp symbol meant, "Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome, dear," he took my money, "Now, if you're looking for the local guild hall, it's down the road. But I'd be careful if I were you. The Fairy Tail wizards are notorious around here for leaving messes wherever they go. They're still some of the strongest wizards around, though."

"I'm only a beginner," I reminded him, "Once I get a little better, then I'll think about joining a guild. But until then, I'm going to keep practicing."

"Good luck!"

"Thank you!" I can't believe I had one more celestial gate key. Who are you, new key? Well, whoever you are, please be friendlier than Aquarius.

I got home and ran back up to my room. The books were still under my bed right where I left them. Good. Either the maids weren't in here today or they weren't thorough enough. It wouldn't shock me if my father offered them a raise to go through my room while I was gone. Regardless, I had better things to worry about. Let's see. A key with a little harp on it. If anything, it was a pretty key. Alright. I think I got this.

"Open," I kept my voice down, "Gate of the harp constellation."

A bright light shot off and a winged girl appeared in my bedroom, "Hello, Miss. You called?"

"Hi," I greeted her, "My name is Lucy and I'd like to enter a contract with you."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lucy," she smiled, "My name is Lyra. I'd love a contract."

"Awesome!" I grinned, "I've ever done this before. I'm so excited!"

"I'm available any time," Lyra said, "So, why don't we agree on that?"

"Ok," I allowed, "Does that mean all I have to do is use your gate key and…"

"I'll be wherever you need me."

"Thank you, Lyra," I have a new celestial spirit! Yay! Now, I could get a contract with Aquarius, too, "By the way, what can you actually do? I probably should've asked you that before I made the contract."

"I'm a singer," Lyra explained, "I'm best summoned at parties and events. Or just when the silence gets to be too maddening."

"Well…" I thought, "Could you sing something for me now?"

"Sure," she took out the little harp from her key, "It's been a while since I've been in contract with a celestial wizard, so forgive me if I'm rusty."

"It's no problem." She called me a celestial wizard. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't squealing inside.

"Ahem…" Lyra began, strumming her harp along with her voice, "Hey, fairy. Where you going? I'm trying to assemble all this light. I'll shine it down and make tomorrow bright."

I let her go on with her song and got completely lost in it. I'm so glad she didn't turn out like Aquarius. Her voice was so pure and so soft. It was a magic all in itself. Once I go back to the man's magic shop, I really needed to thank him for that. My first key aside from Aquarius and she truly is an ethereal spirit.

"Thank you," I buried myself in my bed.

"I look forward to working with you, Lucy," she chimed, "If it's alright with you, I'm going to go back to my gate now."

"Go ahead," I let out a yawn, "I'm going to go to bed."

"Well then," Lyra waved, "I'll see you later!"

And there she goes. Back to the spirit world. If I wasn't so tired, I'd summon Aquarius and tell her about Lyra, but even summoning Lyra took a lot out of me. Between my lack of energy and the soothing tones of her song, I was ready to go to sleep. I can summon Aquarius in the morning when I'm well rested.

The first thing I did when I woke up, though, I ran the bathtub. I've never woken up with so much energy before. I was finally going to get a celestial spirit of the zodiac! From what I understood, Aquarius was one of the strongest ones. Having her on my side couldn't hurt. I took her key off the ring and ran to the bathroom.

"Open!" I squealed, "Gate of the water bearer, Aquarius!"

"This better be good, kid," Aquarius came from her gate, "If it's not life and death, I'm flooding your bathroom. And would it kill you to summon me from an ocean or a lake or somewhere that isn't your bathtub?"

"It's good to see you, too, Aquarius," I grumbled, "But I do have a reason for summoning you this time, not just to see if your key works."

"What do you want, Lucy?"

I stood my ground a little firmer than last time, "I want to enter a contract with you, Aquarius."

"What did I tell you?" she reminded me, "I'm not doing any contracts with you until you've annoyed another spirit."

"I did exactly as you told me to," I showed her my key ring, "I got another gate key and I have a contract with one other spirit. Her name is Lyra."

"I know Lyra," Aquarius flopped her tail over the side of the tub, "She's a bardic spirit, isn't she?"

"That's right," I nodded, "And now, she and I have a contract. So, does that mean we can have a contract now?"

"As much as it goes against my better judgment," she mulled it over, "I guess."

"Awesome!" I beamed, "When I made the contract with Lyra, she told me that anytime I needed her, I could drop her key."

"Well, I'm not Lyra," Aquarius argued, "You can only drop my gate key if it's a life or death situation. And the next time you do, you better be dying near the ocean. My tail can't handle this cramped little bathtub anymore."

"Deal," I agreed, "Next time I go to the ocean, I'll be sure to give you a call."

"Only if you're dying!" she reiterated, "Now, go play with someone else. I'm a powerful celestial spirit, not your babysitter."

It's safe to say that out of all my celestial spirits, Lyra's my favorite. I can't wait to see what Aquarius can do, though. Other than flood my bathroom. She should really know how to take care of that. Now, there's another giant puddle on the floor. How am I going to explain that to the maids? Maybe I saw a spider and jumped out of the tub fast enough out of fear for my life. That sounded like a viable excuse.

Over the next few days, I completely immersed myself in the library. Sometimes, I'd even go as far as to camp in there with a few snacks on hand and a water bottle. All in the name of learning more about celestial spirits and wizards and guilds. Twelve gold keys for the twelve signs of the zodiac. And probably a million and one different silver keys for different constellations.

I don't understand why Dad wouldn't want me learning magic. The possibilities were endless. New friends, new opportunities, the chance of me becoming a part of a guild! I've never wanted something so bad. In my few issues of Sorcerer's Weekly, this Fairy Tail guild sounded like the place for me. They had a reputation, sure, but that didn't matter. They were Fiore's strongest guild. And that's where I needed to be.

"Miss Lucy," one of the maids came into the library, finding me in the magic section, "Your father wishes to speak with you."

"Ok." Never a good sign. I got up from the floor and made the miserable trek to his study. I'm sure that's where he is. Sure enough, right behind his desk with his usual, neutral expression.

"Sit down, Lucy," he twiddled something gold between his fingers, "We need to talk."

"Where did you get that?" I started to sweat.

"It's the key to your medicine cabinet from what I understand," Father sat down, "At least that's what I hear. However, that was also from someone who didn't know any better."

"Where did you…?"

"What did I tell you about practicing magic, Lucy?" he growled, "It's a waste of time for someone like you!"

"You've never even seen me cast before!" I stood up for myself, "I do have what it takes to be a great wizard!"

"But there's no need for it!" Father argued, "That's not in the plans for you!"

"And what about what I want?" I snapped, "I don't want to be married for the sake of being married and joining families together. I'm meant to be more than just a business transaction!"

"It doesn't matter what you think you were meant for," he got a little louder, "It's what you were born to do in the first place!"

"And your only daughter's happiness takes a backseat to that?" I stood my ground, "You really think that if Mom were still alive, she would…"

"Your mother and I had an understanding," Father cut me off, "Even she knew you shouldn't be practicing magic. She told me herself. It's not only unnecessary, Lucy, but it's dangerous. Do you know what could happen if you practice celestial magic? Some of those spirits aren't exactly kindhearted souls. They could kill you!"

If Aquarius didn't kill me when we first met, I doubt she ever will, "None of my spirits would."

"You already have contracts?" a bright blue vein stuck out of his forehead, "How many do you have?"

"Two."

"Break them," Father demanded, "Break them now. In front of me."

"I can't," I started to lose my sense of confidence, "Celestial spirits are relatively shy in nature. If I open any gates, chances are, whichever spirit I summon would go right back through if there's an audience."

"I want you to break your contracts," he snarled, "As soon as you can."

"Yes, Father…" I obliged, my head hanging low.

"This is for the best, Lucy," he assured, lifting my chin up, "Believe me. You'll put this silly magic obsession behind you. Who knows what will happen next? You could finally meet someone."

"Maybe," I twitched under his touch.

"Hey," Father hugged me a little. Weird. I don't think he's done that since Mom's funeral, "You had a momentary lapse, sweetheart. It's alright. It'll be taken care of. Now, go run along. I will see you at dinner."

I gave him a solitary nod and went back to my room. My key ring, gone. My books, gone. My will to live, getting there. I can't believe him! My father has said some stupid things in his life, but telling me to break all of my contracts has got to take the cake. What choice do I have, though?

I got it. I'll run. I knew I was never meant for this kind of life, no matter what he says. The upper echelons of society. The million and one eyes constantly on me. I'm done. No more of this. I don't deserve this! I deserve to be out there and free. Mom would never tell me to stop practicing magic. She'd probably encourage it more than anything! She wouldn't tell me it's silly or dangerous. That's exactly what I'll do. Lucky for me, I had more than just the gold gate key.

But while I was getting torn a new one by my father, the maids were cleaning out my room. Where would they have taken Lyra? If I had to hide my keys (which I should have in the first place), where would I put them? The last place anyone would think to look. Instead of sulking, I snuck into the library. If I were hiding my keys, I'd put them…

Aha! Right here! Right behind _A Beginner's Guide to Celestial Sorcery Vol. 1_. I probably breezed through that book in a day and a half. There you are, Lyra. Now, all we had to do was find Aquarius and get out of here. I could always get a different ring. That one came with Lyra's key. But just to make sure we were still good, I found a secluded corner of the library where no one would think to find me.

"Open," I kept my voice down, "Gate of the harp constellation, Lyra…"

A bright light came from the key and my current favorite popped out, "Hi there, Lucy!"

"Shh…" I settled her, "You have to keep quiet, Lyra. It's good to see you, but I've lost my ability to do magic."

"Then," she whispered, "How did you summon me?"

"It's not like that," I explained, "Look. Do you think you could be a distraction for me?"

"Sure!" Lyra chimed, "What do you need me to do?"

"Go to the front door," I instructed, "Knock and ask for Lord Heartfilia. Keep him distracted."

"Where are you going to be?" she wondered.

"I have to go grab Aquarius," I told her, "Just keep him at the door. I don't care what you do. Sing for him, dance for him. Whatever you do, don't let him leave you."

"Entertaining is my specialty!" Lyra beamed, "I'll do what I can!"

"Thank you, Lyra," I started to relax, "And don't let him know you're a celestial spirit."

"Entertainment and discretion," she nodded, "Got it."

Lyra and I parted ways in the library and went off to our assigned locations. I waited around the corner to hear the door knock. Then, like clockwork, my father left his office unattended. Alright, Aquarius. I know you don't like me, but we have a contract. Now, where did my father hide you?

 **A/N: Suspense. Actually, to tell you the truth, I cut it off here (other than the fact that I'm known for some cliffhangers) because this particular chapter was getting kind of long and with the ANs, it'll be even longer. Feel free to skip this part. Usually they're just meant for hiatus announcements anyway. Which, I don't think I'll be doing until May at the very earliest and November at the very latest, but I don't think you guys are going to see November hiatus. The story's not going to be that long. But until then, I will see you beautiful creatures next chapter! xx**


	3. Trapped

**A/N: I'm so sorry this is up so late, guys. I usually have this done by Saturday to send to my beta on Sunday, but this week, for whatever reason, I couldn't bring myself to work on anything and completely crashed. So, here we are. Nearly 10PM. And my dog is trying to sleep. She so cute, though. My sweet little bean. But I'm going to shut up and let you read. We'll reconvene down at the bottom.**

Knock, knock.

I watched one of the maids get my father out of his study and stood by from the balcony. He didn't even notice me hanging around the corner. Good. When he opened the door a little better, a celestial spirit stood on the other side in a more revealing costume than her usual dress. Lyra was covered (and I'm using that word loosely) from head to toe in sheer, rich purples and golds. Whatever works, I guess.

"Can I help you?" Father did his best to keep eye contact, but at the end of the day, he couldn't help himself. I caught him looking down a couple times.

"Good evening, Lord Heartfilia," she bowed, "My name is Lyra. If I may, sir, I'd like the entertain you."

"That's nice, Miss Lyra," he shot her down, "But my bed is already warm. Thank you."

"You misunderstand me, my lord," Lyra stalled him some more, "I'm a singer and a dancer. I'd love to show you what I can do."

"I'm sorry," he declined again, "I'm a very busy man."

"I promise I won't keep you!" she shot a quick look up at me. I gave her the signal to keep him there. Fortunately, Lyra was smart and played up her feminine wiles a bit, "Please? You wouldn't turn a maiden like me away, would you?"

Defeated by the beautiful spirit at the door, my father let out a heavy sigh, "Alright, Miss Lyra. Dazzle me."

"Thank you," I mouthed to her, giving a thumbs up. Now, to my father's study. If I were Lord Jude Heartfilia, aristocrat and alleged man of the people, trying to hide something from my so-called bratty little girl, where would I hide it? Wherever it was, I had to be quick. Lyra could only keep this up for so long.

I kept my fingers crossed and hoped he left it on his desk. Among the paperwork he had in meticulously organized chaos, there was no key. Come on, Aquarius. If I had some water in here, I'd try summoning you. I didn't even have any spell to help me find my keys. Someone should get on that. You could do it, Lucy. You could be that groundbreaking celestial wizard.

But I had to find my keys first. Already had Lyra's. I just needed to find Aquarius. And I'm sure my father was growing tired of Lyra's song and dance routine. Not to mention, she's probably getting tired, too. If it's not on the desk, maybe it's in the desk? Nope. Not there either. Fantastic. Come on, Dad. Where did you hide my keys?

Then, I glanced toward a picture on the wall. One of Mom and me when I was just a baby. I always loved this picture. Fortunately, I knew what was behind it. And if I was trying to keep something from me, I'd put it somewhere safe. Or in a safe. Whichever. I took the frame from the wall and spun the dial. The combination was the easiest thing to remember for me. Despite him being cold as ice, Dad never could either.

Mom's birthday.

Got it. Not only did I find my key, but another gold key sat in the back of the safe. Huh. This one looked like it had the number sixty-nine on it when I turned it sideways. This must have been one of Mom's other keys. She wasn't exactly a full-on mage, but she dabbled. I thought she only had one gold key, Aquarius. Mom was holding out on me. Two gold keys? Aquarius said those were super rare. I thought that a celestial wizard would be lucky to even come across ONE in their lifetime, but me, a beginner, would have TWO zodiac spirits contracted! By the looks of it, I'm not the only one he's tried to stop.

I grabbed both keys and made a beeline back for my bedroom. On the way through, I gave Lyra the signal to leave my father alone and my blessing to go back to her gate. She made her bows and exited stage left. My father still seemed rather confused by the whole ordeal, but like he did with everything else, he wrote it off entirely. Right now, I had bigger things to worry about. Because I needed to hide all three of my keys and I only had ten minutes to do it.

On my dresser. I know it sounds ridiculous, but there was also a little music box that sat on my dresser. I kept the key to it around my neck at all times. No one could get in it but me. When I was little, I'd hide all kinds of things in here. Candy, loose change, special rocks that I thought were pretty. And now, all it had in it was the last picture of Mom and me ever taken. You would've let me practice celestial magic, wouldn't you? You probably would've insisted, even as far as taught me. In times like these, I really miss you, Mom…You wouldn't blame me for what I was going to do.

With my keys secured, one of my usual maids came in, "Miss Lucy, dinner is ready."

"Thank you," I sent her off, "I can get ready by myself."

"Yes, Miss," she curtseyed, leaving me to get changed. Alright, Lucy. It's just another dinner. Act natural.

As usual, the drop of a pin could be heard three kingdoms over in this dining room. But tonight seemed even more uncomfortable than usual. I could see it in his eyes. His tail was between his legs. He didn't like that he made me upset, but it was for the greater good, so that feeling was short lived. And it was replaced by his usual self-righteousness.

"Lucy?" he peered down the table to me, "Are you alright?"

"Of course," I jumped a little, trying to keep my cool, "You were only doing what you thought was best for me. I understand."

"Thank you," Father began to relax, "You know, there was a performer at the door a little while ago."

"Really?" This is weird. He's not usually this chatty during dinner.

"I'm sure you would've liked her," he went on, "She said she was a singer and a dancer. Personally, I think she was more of a beggar than anything. She wasn't bad, but you know how I feel about solicitors."

"Yes." I remember a salesman coming up to the house one day when I was little. My father took off one of his gloves, slapped him with it, and threw him to the guards.

"She had a pretty face, though," Father admitted, "So, I thought I'd listen to her plea. She's gone now."

"Oh, well," I chased my food around with my fork.

"Are you sure you're ok, Lucy?" he worried, more confused than skeptical, "You seem like you're not feeling well."

"I think my stomach is a little upset," I lied through my teeth, putting on a very convincing performance, if I do say so myself, "I'm going to call it an early night."

"Alright," Father allowed, "Do you want me to send a doctor?"

"No," I shook my head, "I'll just get some sleep. That's all I need, I'm sure."

"Good night, sweetheart," he sent me off, "Rest well."

"Good night." It killed me to lie so boldly to my father like that, but This was for the real greater good. I didn't have much of a game plan, though. Where do I go? I'm not staying on the compound. That's for sure. Maybe I could go back to Magnolia. The old man at the magic shop did say there was a guild there. And I read all about the Fairy Tail guild in Sorcerer's Weekly. It's home to some of the greatest wizards around today and the usual centerfold, Mirajane, was a part of that guild! I'd love to meet her. I bet she's nice in person.

I packed a bag with a few changes of clothes and waited for the dark of night to fall. My father thinks I'm in bed, sleeping like a baby while nursing my stomach ache. No. I could do this. I would do this. And I will do this. I can hide out in Magnolia. I'm sure he wouldn't think to look for me there. Honestly, I'd be surprised if he looks for me at all. But I'm coming for Fairy Tail. If I beg and plead and show them the fact that I already have two gold gate keys when most beginning celestial wizards don't even have one, they'll have to be impressed. And the guild master would HAVE to let me in!

I popped the lock on the music box from my dresser, taking a minute to enjoy the sweet song that played, and grabbed my keys. Thanks, Mom. Alright, guys. It's going to be a bumpy ride, but we have to get out of here. I can't go through the front door. That'd be ridiculous. Looks like I'm going to have to sneak out the window. It's a pretty long drop, though. Bedsheets? Bedsheets, it is. I made sure each knot was tight enough to support my weight and draped them down the side of the mansion. Magnolia, here I come!

When I could feel the grass on my feet, there was no describing it. This is what absolute freedom feels like, isn't it? Not having to worry about social conventions or any of the etiquette lessons I've had force fed down my throat since I was little. I could be exactly who I was meant to be, not what he wanted me to be. I'm sure Mom felt the same way at times. Well, consider this me fulfilling the legacy, Mom. Wish me luck. Because my new life in Fairy Tail awaits me.

I tiptoed around the front of the mansion, making sure to stay out of the lights, and started running. Surprising how light I can be on my feet when I'm trying to bolt. Everything looked pretty dark. Perfect. No one suspected a thing. This was kind of exciting. Like a worldwide game of hide and seek. Only I'm going to be the one to win. I was almost to the front gate! Once I get past there, I'm home free!

"Where do you think you're going at this hour, Miss Lucy?" one of the guards grabbed me. I tried to fight him off, but there was no way that would happen. He was a lot stronger than I was.

"Let me go!" I snapped, writhing in his embrace, "Now!"

"I can't do that, Miss," he ignored my direct order. When my father wasn't around, the entire guard had to listen to me. No matter what.

"Because my orders supersede yours," a deep voice rumbled through me. The contents of my stomach was about to be on my shoes, "Stomachache, huh?"

The best thing for me to do at this point was keep my mouth shut. I might as well go back in the house. Stomping on the guard's foot or elbowing him in his ribs wouldn't be smart. I'd only dent his armor and hurt myself more than him. It wouldn't be enough to get away. I don't know why I expected this to go smoothly.

"Give me your keys, Lucy," Father demanded, "I know you have them."

"I don't have my keys," I had them off the ring and hidden in my garter belt. Safe and sound.

"Pat her down," he ordered.

"Hey!" I squeaked. The guard was a bit handsy for my liking. But he stopped in the middle of my thigh. Busted.

"Sir…" he blushed a bit, "The keys…They're…"

"Get them," Father reluctantly gave his permission, "But remember your position."

"Yes, sir," the guard winced, "Forgive me, Miss Lucy."

Without another thought, his hands went up my skirt. There go my keys again. Father sat back with a sullen look on his face, "Are you going to keep lying to me?"

"I had no choice," I defended, "It was either that or have my keys taken."

"There should be two," he assessed.

"There's three, sir," the guard clarified.

"Three?" Father gave him a look, "Did you take your mother's other key?"

"I might have," I stood my ground.

"Go to bed, Lucy," he wouldn't even look at me, "We'll discuss this in the morning."

I went back to the house with my father following close behind. No doubt, he'll follow me up to my room, just to make sure I went there. This was insane! All I wanted was to practice magic. Was that too much to ask? Was I the one being unreasonable? No! Because if it were my daughter, I wouldn't force her into half the stuff I've had to do. But because of my stupid name, I had to be held to a higher standard. Jude Heartfilia's daughter couldn't practice magic. That's something for our lessers, but not for high society types. If it got out that Mom played with it, the family name would be tarnished for generations! Or something else ridiculous like that. Since I'm not going to Magnolia tonight, I might as well actually get some sleep. Something tells me I'll need it.

The next morning, I woke up with an empty feeling in my chest. The only key I had anymore was the one to my music box. I just wanted to practice magic. To be able to summon spirits who could help make the world a little better. To be able to travel Fiore, helping anyone who needed it. To be a great wizard. But I couldn't have that. Instead, I'd get an uncomfortable confrontation with my father about me sneaking out and stealing my keys back.

"Miss Lucy…" one of the maids came knocking, "Your…"

"Yeah, yeah," I rolled my eyes, pulling myself out of bed, "I'm going. I'm going."

I dredged down the hall, still in my pajamas, half dead, and went into my father's study. Huh. Lights are on, but no one's home. I guess I'll just sit and wait for whatever punishment he had intended for me. I'm on thin ice as it is. Making him upset now would only dig me deeper in this hole. Getting my keys back now would probably be next to impossible.

"Lucy," Father came in, "We need to talk."

"What's there to talk about?" I kept my anger under control.

"You know I don't want you practicing celestial magic," he reiterated, "Those spirits are dangerous."

"You didn't seem to mind when one was dancing in front of you last night," I pointed out.

"What?"

"Yeah," I glared, "Lyra. She's one of my celestial spirits. I called her and told her to go to the door, so I could get my keys. You knew I had keys. You just didn't know which ones I had. And you can't take them away from me."

"I already have!" Father growled, "Enough of your insolence, Lucy! I gave you a chance to break your contracts and give up your pointless magic dream! You wanted to leave the mansion so bad? You've left me no choice. We're leaving the mansion soon. Go pack some of your things."

"I can go?" I started getting excited, "Really?"

"This is what you wanted," he repeated, "Don't forget that. Now, go pack."

"Yes, sir!" I ran into my room and started packing one of my trunks. He was letting me leave? So willingly? The more I read into it, the more skeptical I was. In the heat of the moment, it sounded amazing. I'd finally get to be on my own, free to practice my magic. Looking back on it, this can't be good.

Regardless, I packed a trunk and brought it downstairs. A carriage was already waiting. My father twiddled one of my keys through his fingers. And not just any key. Aquarius. I can't believe he has the audacity…No, Lucy. Don't give him that satisfaction. I brought myself back down to Earth and endured the long, quiet carriage ride. We used to do this all the time when I was younger. Only with less tension.

It's when we stopped on the outskirts of a small town that my nerves kicked into overdrive. My father grabbed my trunk, "We're here."

"Where is here?" I looked up at the giant stone tower.

"This is your new home, Lucy. I'm sorry that it has to be this way."

"Wait, what?" I squeaked, "What do you mean, this is my new home?"

"You wanted to leave the mansion so bad," Father explained, shoving me in the tower, "This is where you're leaving to. There's no sense in trying to escape from here. You will be heavily guarded at all hours of the day. All of your usual amenities are here. I will be by once a week to check on you. You will remain here until you get this magic nonsense out of your head."

"You can't do this!" I snapped.

"I can," he shut the door, "And I will. I'm sorry, Lucy."

"Wait!" I yelled, but there was no use. All because I wanted some magic in my life, my own father is going to abandon me. And here I'll stay. No magic. No celestial keys. No hope. No will to live. Just me in this tower. I wish he would've at least let me keep Lyra. She'd make the silence a little less maddening. At this point, I'd rather deal with Aquarius's attitude problem, but instead…I have this. And this? This sucks.

 **A/N: So, we have Lucy without magic and stuck up in the tower. Also, poor Lyra had to dance for her dad. Beautiful. He didn't deserve it. But regardless of all that, next week, we're going to be getting into some of Lucy's time in the tower along with...Well, that'll just be a surprise for you, won't it? See you next chapter. xx**


	4. The Night Guard

**A/N: Hi there, beautifuls! Did you miss me? Because I missed you! It's nice to have this week's chapter up on time. There was a slight possibility that things weren't going to work out so smooth. I learned something about myself a few days ago and it's that Natsu and I have the same problem. I learned I get affected by motion sickness. It happened out of the blue when we were on our way to taking my brother to work and I got super nauseous and it wasn't pretty. That was the most miserable hour of my life. Aside from a couple years ago that is actually serving as inspiration for an upcoming chapter. You'll see.**

 **Also! Before we get started here, to a lovely guest here by the name of yaboimydude, whose name I'm kind of in love with. Thank you, so so much. I'm glad you enjoy the fruits of my labor. It's my absolute pleasure to make your Mondays a little less bleak. And that goes for the rest of you as well. So, kisses. And enjoy!**

Nobody knows…

The trouble I see…

Nobody knows my sorrows…

I'd be lying if I said life in the tower was full of fun and adventure. I think I counted sixty-two stone bricks in the ceiling and forty nails in the floorboards. I'm so bored! Being in the tower isn't the hard part. In all honesty, the solitude wasn't half bad. No maids barging in every ten minutes. My father isn't having his meetings here. It's the complete lack of anything to do that's killing me.

This is still absolutely ridiculous. If I wanted to learn and practice magic, I shouldn't have to get my father's permission. Or anyone's permission for that matter! Mom wouldn't have stood for this and neither should I! But how am I going to get out of this tower? It's not like when I got out of the mansion. It's a lot more reinforced than that.

The guards were here 'round the clock. It didn't matter if it was the break of dawn or the middle of the night. There was always someone here. Not that it mattered. They were all stone silent. They weren't even nice to look at. I'm sure that was my father's doing. This was supposed to be my exile. Heaven forbid, I have any sort of pleasantries.

If I had any of my keys, I bet I could find a way out of here. I didn't even get the chance to make a contract with Cancer, so I don't know what their powers are. I'm sure they'd be able to help. It's times like these where I missed Lyra and Aquarius. I could even hear Aquarius in the back of my mind. Maybe she was right.

Maybe I wasn't cut out for being a celestial wizard. If I couldn't stand up to my father, how am I supposed to be able to control celestial spirits? I thought I was strong enough. I'm sorry, Mom. I let you down. But I'm sure that if you were here, you'd say I wasn't letting you down and Dad will come around eventually.

It's been two weeks since I tried making a break for it. And I've been in this tower ever since. I've even had guards quit on me out of nothing better to do here. I'm sure it's easy cash. My father is probably paying these guys through the nose to make sure I stay put. What I wouldn't pay to feel grass on my feet again, to feel the blades soft and cool between my toes. I tried bribing the guards, but no one would bite.

If I could summon Lyra, she could have these guys swooning and lead them away from the tower long enough for me to leave. My father hardly fell for that. I doubt these idiots would. Maybe I could summon Aquarius and she'll insult them to death. Or just threaten them. She could be one scary celestial spirit. I missed them both terribly. Wherever they are, I hope they're doing ok.

"Hey!" a voice chirped outside my window, "There's a girl up here!"

"That's not fair, Happy!" another called from the ground, "Let me see!"

"That Heartfilia guy said no to you," a blue cat sat on the windowsill, "but he didn't say anything about me!"

"What?!" I screeched, "Am I hallucinating or is there a talking cat here?"

"Hi!" the cat let himself in, "Yeah. I'm a talking cat."

"What are you doing in my room?!"

"Wahhhh!" the cat flew off. Because he's blue and he can talk, of course he can fly, too. "Natsu, she's scary!"

"Who are you?" I asked, starting to come down from this fever dream.

"Down here!" I followed the voice (and the cat) to a pink haired boy standing at the base of the tower. Why would I be surprised to find that cat with anyone else?

"And again," I repeated, "Who are you guys?"

"We were sent here to guard Lord Heartfilia's treasure," the boy explained, "But we had no idea you'd be here."

"My father sent you?" I guess all the other guards either quit or begged to come back to the mansion.

"Father?" he wondered. But then, he started whining, "Come on, Happy. I'm serious. Help me out here! I want to see this chick."

"Excuse me?" I gasped, appalled by his comment.

"Ooh…" he backed off, "You were right. She is scary."

"You're such a baby," the cat flew back up to my window with the boy hanging on, "There. Happy?"

"Hi there!" he chimed, a giant grin plastered on his face. If I wasn't still mad at him for his previous transgression, it'd be kind of cute.

"Now that we're at eye level," I suggested, letting them both in, "Do you think I could get a proper introduction?"

"Hey!" he pouted, "We had to come all the way out here. Do you know how far Magnolia is from here? Three train rides too long. I think you should introduce yourself first."

"That seems fair," the cat agreed.

"Fine," I might not like it, but for the sake of argument, I could suck it up, "My name is Lucy. Now, who are you?"

"I'm Natsu," he introduced himself, "It's good to meet you, Lucy."

"It's nice to meet you, too," I kept the pleasantries up, "But why are you here again, Natsu?"

"What about me?" the cat piped up, "Don't you want to know who I am, too?"

"After the flying blue cat part," I shrugged, "I don't think there's much else to know."

"This is Happy," Natsu picked up the cat and sat him on his shoulders, "He can get kind of fussy when he's ignored."

"Must be a universal thing with cats," I assumed.

"That's a stereotype!" Cat got defensive.

"As for why we're here," Natsu went on, "Like I said, we were looking for work. The job was up on the request board, so here we are."

"Not to be rude," I apologized, looking him over, "But how are you and your flying blue cat supposed to protect me?"

"Wow," he chuckled under his breath, "You don't meet very many wizards, do you?"

"YOU'RE A WHAT?!" my heart stopped. No. No way. I must have heard him wrong. There's no way my father would've hired a wizard. Not knowingly anyway.

"This girl's a spazz, Natsu," Cat ignored me, "Let's just collect our money and our presents and get out of here."

"We can't do that," Natsu scolded, "The job's not done yet. It'd be wrong."

"Wait a second," I stopped him, "What presents?"

"I doubt that a debutante like you would appreciate it," he scoffed, "But along with the half a million Jewel, Lord Heartfilia is putting up three celestial gate keys, too. I bet they could get us a pretty penny in the magic shops."

"AND HE'S GIVING AWAY MY GATE KEYS?!" I snarled, "It's not bad enough I'm locked up in this stupid tower, but now HE'S GIVING AWAY MY GATE KEYS, TOO?!"

"Hey!" Natsu hushed me, "Settle down, you loon. You're a wizard, too?"

"Trying to be," I pouted, sitting in the middle of my bed, "That's what I'm doing in this tower in the first place. My father doesn't want me practicing magic, so he figured putting me in this tower will keep me from doing that. What he fails to understand is that one of those keys was more sentimental than celestial. My mother gave it to me on her deathbed. It's all I had left of her."

I could feel a mixture of angry and sad tears bubbling in the back of my throat. I just meet this guy and he's already got me in tears. No. This wasn't his fault. And I refuse to cry in front of him. Not today. Not now. Come on, Lucy. Pull yourself together. You might not be able to do much in this tower, but you can do that much.

"Hey…" Natsu sat with me and put his hand on my shoulder. If I didn't know any better, I'd think he was trying to comfort me, "Can I let you in on a little secret?"

"What?" He was trying to make me feel better…

"Happy and me," he smiled, "We got half our reward up front."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I wondered, "Did you get the money first or the keys?"

"We got two of the keys and two hundred thousand joule," Natsu dug in his pockets and pulled out my key ring, "I'm not a celestial wizard. I'm a fire dragon slayer. There's a difference."

"What do you mean, fire dragon slayer?" I asked, "Did you actually fight a dragon for your powers?"

"No," he laughed, "I was taught by a dragon, though. Igneel taught me everything I know. But I don't want to bore you with my magic. Could I see how you open a gate?"

"Sure!" I beamed, "But I'm going to have to borrow one of your keys."

"My keys?" Natsu gave me a look, "I'm pretty sure these are your keys. You've made contracts with your celestial spirits. I can't take that away from you."

"Thank you," I took the ring, "Who do you have?"

"There was the squiggly key," he thought it over, "And then, the key with the loop-dee-loops on it."

"Cancer and Aquarius," I rolled my eyes, "I only have a contract with one of them and I can't summon her without water."

Or without signing my own death warrant. Aquarius told me if I didn't summon her in a life or death situation, preferably near the ocean, she'd kill me, "What about your bathtub?"

"Aquarius is finicky," I bit my lip, "She'd rather a larger body of water than my bathtub. I can't summon either one of them. When are you going to get the other key?"

"Probably when the job is done," Natsu figured, "But I'm sure I can find you another key in the magic shops. I'll have it back here by tomorrow."

"Really?" I squeaked.

"I'm the one asking you to show me your magic," he pointed out, "The least I can do is get you a key."

"I can't ask you to do that," I stopped him.

"You never asked," Natsu smirked. Why did I get the sudden feeling that my new guard was going to be more of a handful than I bargained for?

"You got me there," I agreed, "Fine. Bring me a key and not only will I show you a celestial spirit, but I'll show you how I make a contract."

"Why can't you make one with Cancer?"

"Because," I explained, "I don't remember if Cancer needs any special conditions for summoning like Aquarius. I don't have any of my books. My father took those from me, too."

"You should get some sleep, Lucy," Natsu decided, grabbing the sleeping cat on the floor, "It's getting late and we do still have a job to do."

"Oh," I got a sharp reminder that I was being held here against my will and Natsu wasn't sent to be my friend, "Yeah. I guess I should."

"Don't worry," he started climbing out my window, "We'll be back tomorrow. And I'll be here until the dayshift guy shows up."

"Is he a wizard, too?"

"Nope," Natsu shook his head, "But if you want, I'll wake you up before I leave tomorrow to say goodbye."

"Ok," I smiled, "Good night."

"Good night, Lucy," he waved, scaling down the tower. And just like that, he was out of my hair. Although, I wasn't quite sure what to think about Natsu. He seemed sweet, but there was more than that to him. And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little intrigued. But I FINALLY MET ANOTHER WIZARD! A REAL WIZARD! And he was kind enough to give me my keys back. Not to mention, I have another one on the way! Did I have someone on my side for a change?

 **A/N: And now, we have the introduction of Natsu and Happy! I couldn't wait too terribly long before putting those two in this. They're too awesome. Also, Lumi fun fact! Natsu is my nephew's favorite character in Fairy Tail. Although, Erza and Happy are tied for second. And, probably just as significant, Lucy's got her keys back! Natsu's so sweet like that. Bless his little dragon slayer heart. Next week, it's going to get a little more...well...hectic. Like I said, I had an idea for a chapter while thinking of miserable moments of my life. So, until then, friends. See you next chapter! xx**


	5. The Night the Heating Pad Went Out

**A/N: Hi there! By the way…To my new little friend that was dabbing in my review section last week, if you do that again, so help me, I will exorcise you. But please, for the love of God, don't leave. I still like having you around. Now that we've got that unpleasantness out of the way, how about we cut to the chase, yeah? You and me. This little piece of trash that I've come to love. Enjoy, friends!**

For the next couple weeks, the nights were the best part of my day. Sure, being in this tower sucked something awful, but the company made every day a little easier. Hanging out with Natsu and Happy and hearing all about whatever daring adventure they went on earlier in the day (because the contract they had with my father prohibited anything that would interfere with my guarding)... It's like I was never in this tower to begin with. Although, I was a little jealous I couldn't go on those adventures with them. Every story sounded more and more perilous than the last, but at least they'd get the chance to feel alive.

Then, one morning came seemingly out of nowhere. Any time my guards or my maids would even breathe, I'd want to push them out my bedroom window. Around the middle of that afternoon, a sudden realization hit. Along with a severe wave of intense pain. Oh, no...I've been staying in this tower for the past...Oh, no. Dad didn't think ahead. I just hope the maids did.

I didn't want to move. Any time I did, it felt like that would be the end of me. When I got out of the bathroom, I balled up in bed. There's no way this was happening. Of all the times for this to hit, it's when my father has lost his mind and decided to lock me in a tower. And to make matters worse, my heating pad died on me. Great. Just FANTASTIC!

"Hey, Luce," Natsu and Happy appeared at my window while I bit into my pillow, trying not to scream, "Ooh...Are you ok?"

"You look like death warmed over," Happy added.

"No!" I snapped, glaring a hole through both of them, "I feel like I'm dying and I want to punch my father in his stupid face!"

"What do we do?" Natsu freaked, scrambling to do anything at this point, "Happy, call a doctor! Ambulance! Voodoo high priestess!"

"Aye!"

"If you want something to do," I growled, "Quit running around like morons and stop freaking out!"

"So," Natsu stopped dead in his tracks, "You're not dying? You'll be ok?"

"I'll be fine," I winced through another stab to my stomach, "I'm a litle cranky and my body hurts all over the place. And the icing on the cake, my heating pad decided to give up on me."

"I'm sorry, Lucy," he sat at the edge of my bed, "If it's ok with you, I have an idea."

"Mark the calendar," I rolled over, "Natsu had an idea. Wait...What do you mean, if it's ok with me?"

"Do you trust me?" he asked with the utmost sincerity in his eyes.

"Yeah..." At this point, I was desperate enough to try anything.

"Come here," Natsu offered me his hand, "I know this is going to be a little awkward at first, but it's a necessary evil."

Slowly, but surely, I took his hand and he pulled me between his legs, pressing my back against his chest., "Natsu, what do you plan on doing here?"

"Where do you hurt, Lucy?" he brushed me off. Somehow, I could already feel the tension in my lower back start to dissipate.

"Right here," I lifted my shirt up and put my hands under my bellybutton, "And it's absolutely awful. What are you..."

Natsu moved my hands and replaced them with his own. A warm feeling began radiating through my body and my stomach started to settle, "How's that?"

"Natsu..." I gasped, "Are you doing this?"

"Yep," he nodded, "It's amazing what magic can do, huh?"

"How?" I wondered. In a matter of minutes, how did this boy become my heating pad? Not that I was complaining.

"I'm a fire dragon slayer, Lucy," Natsu reminded me, "That means I have some control over fire. Where there's fire, there's heat. And I can heat any part of me at will. Besides, my hands are always warm anyway."

Completely at ease, I laid my head in Natsu's shoulder, "Thank you. Really, Natsu. You're a lifesaver."

"You're welcome," he smiled, "It's not too hot for you, is it? I wouldn't want to have to explain to your dad why his daughter has third degree burns on her stomach. That'd probably be grounds for us not getting paid."

"No," I shook my head, "It's fine. And I'm so glad I'm just a paycheck to you!"

"We need to eat, too, Lucy!" Happy defended from his corner of my room.

"I guess you're right," I felt my eyelids grow heavier and heavier by the second. My body stopped feeling like it was being scraped by a cheese grater. I was completely at peace. And I felt myself falling asleep in Natsu's arms.

Stranger yet, when I woke up the next morning, a little ball of blue fur was bundled up in the corner of my bedroom. A warm pair of arms were wrapped around my waist. It wasn't weird enough that I fell asleep on Natsu in the first place, but the fact that he never moved was just as weird. But nice. I wanted to stay just like this. This was comfortable. This was painless. But it had to be done. Wait a minute...Did Natsu always have that mark on his shoulder?

"Natsu," I shook him a little, "Natsu, wake up."

"Morning, Lucy," Natsu rubbed his eyes, "How are you feeling?"

"Better," I relaxed, "Much better. Thank you. You have no idea how much you helped last night, Natsu."

"Don't worry about it," he shut me up, "I'm just doing my job. Hey! I just remembered something!"

"I just woke up, Natsu," I settled him, pulling myself out of bed, "Coffee before you get all excited."

"Fine by me."

It's mornings like this where I'm glad I had a timer on my coffee pot. A fresh pot of coffee waited for me, hot and ready to go. A splash of cream, a bit of sugar. If I had any chocolate, I would've busted off a piece and dropped it in the bottom of my cup, but unfortunately. The first drink went all the way down to my toes.

"Alright, Natsu," I sat back down on my bed, "What did you remember?"

"I have a present for you!" Natsu dug around in his pocket and showed me a glimmer of gold between his fingers.

"WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?!" my jaw dropped.

"Hey!" Happy whined, waking up a little bit, "Do you mind? Some of us are still sleeping."

"A job that Happy and I worked a little while back," Natsu tossed the key into the air, casually catching it behind his back, "Since I'm not a celestial wizard and your dad's already paying us pretty well, I figured you'd want it. Personally, I think it's pretty dumb that he doesn't want you practicing magic, but I say if you want to do it, then do it. What harm could it be?"

"Natsu," I caught my breath, "That's a gold key! There are only twelve of those!"

"And you got two of them on your nightstand," he pointed out, "And because I'm such a nice guy, you have three of them on your nightstand."

"I can't…" I was nearly in tears. No, Lucy. Remember what you told yourself, "Natsu, this is too much."

"Not my branch," Natsu insisted, "Not your decision. And after what you went through last night, I'm sure you could use a present."

I put my coffee down on my nightstand and threw myself into my favorite guard's arms, "Thank you, Natsu…"

"You're welcome," he hugged me back, "Now that you're feeling a little better, do you think you could show me how you make a contract? Are you up for something like that?"

"Absolutely!" I beamed, "That's only a day one thing. I'm fine now."

"Day one?"

Oh, Natsu…So much to learn, "Don't worry about it. I'm not having that talk with you today. Who do you have?"

"A little circle necklace guy," Natsu looked the key over, "Who's that?"

"That's Taurus!" I took the key from him, "Taurus' physical strength is practically unmatched by any other spirit. And if I remember correctly, he doesn't have any special requirements for summoning like Aquarius, so I think we can do this."

"Awesome!" he squeaked, "Hey, Happy! You awake?"

"Barely," Happy groaned, flying over to Natsu's shoulder, "What do you want?"

"Lucy's about to make a contract," Natsu tried waking him up a little more.

"That's great, Natsu." Seconds later, Happy was back to sleep.

"Go on, Lucy," he nudged me, "Make your contract."

"Alright," I prepared my stance, "I call upon thee. Open, gate of the golden bull, Taurus!"

A bright light came from the key and the celestial gate popped open. What I failed to realize was how huge Taurus would be, "Oh, hello…I've met a lot of celestial wizards over the years, but you are, by far, the cutest I've ever seen."

Oh no…Grin and bear it, Lucy. You can do it, "Thank you. My name is Lucy and I'd like to make a contract with you."

"Absolutely," Taurus agreed, looking me over, "How old are you? Do you live around here?"

"I'm seventeen and you're standing in my bedroom," I bit my tongue. I knew Taurus had more to his reputation than his strength, but this was ridiculous, "So, when are you free?"

"Anytime you are, Miss Lucy," he winked, sending chills up my spine. Alright. If this is how things are going to be with us, so be it. He's a zodiac key, Lucy. You need to keep him. No matter how obnoxious he is, you need that kind of strength on your side.

"Wonderful," I smiled, internally gritting my teeth, "Alright. You can go back to your gate now."

"I thought we were just getting started here," Taurus whined, "You want me to go already?"

"She said to go, buddy," Natsu demanded, "She has you contracted."

"Until later then, Miss Lucy," Taurus returned to his gate and got out of my hair.

"Wait a second," Natsu thought, "Was that it?"

"Yep," I sat back down, "That was it."

"Wow, Lucy," Happy chimed in, "For being a celestial wizard, that was kind of weak."

"Nobody asked you, Cat," I growled, nursing the slight wound to my pride.

"Well," Natsu got up, "We probably should be going. Your dayshift guard's probably here already. If anyone were to walk in here, this would probably look a bit awkward."

"You're right," I agreed, "Again…Thank you, Natsu."

"Shut up, Lucy," he gave me a light, playful shove, "I already told you. I was just doing my job. The flyer said to make sure you were taken care of and here we are."

"Still," I smiled, "Thank you."

"No problem," Natsu grinned, "I'll see you tonight! Come on, Happy. Let's go."

"Aye!"

And there they go again. Off on another great, magical journey. While I'm here in this tower with my perverted bull, the mermaid that would rather my head on a spike than for me to drop her key, and the giant crab that I had yet to even meet. Once…Just once…I wanted to see the world outside this tower again. I guess these keys were a good start.

 **A/N: In case you're new to my profile and my mini library here and don't know, I'm a huge sucker for a sick fic and this is kind of like that. I had this random idea a few days ago and first, to preface this, I fell down a hole of NaLu doujinshi and there was one of Lucy all pregnant with Natsu's baby and I thought, gee, I wonder if he could heat any part of his body at will. Thus, her using him as a heating pad was born. And I don't know about you, but I, for one, find this adorable. And next week, I have another one of those brilliant ideas, but you'll just have to wait for that, won't you? See you next chapter! xx**


	6. An Invitation to the Heartfilia Mansion

**A/N: Hi there, friends! To yaboimydude, you're my new favorite and I love you. That's all that you need to worry about. That and my review section is a dab free zone. There's even a little sign. And if we could send some love my beta's way, that'd be cool, too. Give her all the love in the world because…Well…She deserves it and I love her to pieces. Now, I'm forewarning you. This might be my favorite chapter so far (although last week's is a top contender). Now, enjoy!**

Just what I wanted to deal with today. It was that time of the week again. Dinner with my father was the only socializing he thought I got. Something tells me when he placed the ad for my guard, he wasn't expecting Natsu and me to get along so well. As the hour approached, I heard him pull up to the tower. Alright, Lucy. Let's get this over with.

"Hello, Lucy," my father greeted me, taking his usual seat at my table.

"Hello, Father," I sat with him, extending the same, icy courtesy.

"How have you been?" he glanced me over, "You're looking a little pale."

"I don't get out much these days," I kept my eyes on the beef brisket my chefs had brought for us. Even though my misery had come and gone already (with Natsu's help on the nights it got unbearable), I still had the strong urge to punch him. I even made sure my celestial gate keys were well hidden. My father could search this entire tower brick by brick and still not find them, "I guess I'm doing as well as I can, given the circumstances."

"We've been over this, Lucy," Father scolded, "I'm doing this because I love you. Speaking of things that I do for you out of love, I'd like for you to come back to the mansion for a night."

"Really?" I was a mixture of excited and skeptical. It'd be nice to sleep in my old bed again, but knowing my father, there were strings attached, "What's the occasion?"

"There's going to a party tomorrow night." There it is. The proverbial string, "At this party, I want you to meet someone worthy of the bloodline."

Not just a string. A full-on rope. Awesome. He's using this party to play matchmaker for me. Just great. No. You're overthinking this, Lucy. He's not saying you have to find a guy right then and there. Think about it. This could be your golden opportunity to get back to Magnolia and join that guild the man at the magic shop was talking about!

"Ok," I agreed, keeping my ulterior motives under wraps, "Sounds like it could be fun."

"Also," Father added, "Because we know you're a proven flight risk, I want you to bring your regular night guard with you."

"Yes, sir." I get to get out of this tower, go back to the mansion, and still get to hang out with Natsu for the night? This was going to be fun.

"Good," he nodded, "Tell him when he comes by tonight. One of the maids will be here in the morning with your dress and to help you get ready."

"Ok," I didn't expect him to have my dress ready yet. The seamstress does have my measurements on hand and already knows what I like and what I don't. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, "I look forward to it."

"I'm happy you see it that way," Father got up from the table, his plate cleared, "With any amount of luck, tomorrow night will be your engagement party as well."

"Don't you think it'd be a bit soon for that kind of thing?" a bead of sweat ran down my spine, "To meet and get engaged in the same night?"

"You're not getting any younger, Lucy." He did not just say that. I'm also not ancient like you seem to think I am! Don't punch him, Lucy. I know you want to, but don't do it, "Time is of the essence. I'll see you tomorrow night."

If he would've stayed a minute longer, it would not have been pretty. At least I could have a little time to myself to cool off. What was he thinking? Throwing a party where I'm supposed to find my soulmate in a matter of a couple hours and I don't even have a say in the guest list? Good luck with that. Although, the thought of taking Natsu to a formal event at the mansion sounded...Oh, no...That smelled like a disaster waiting to happen. Then again, maybe it could provide me with some much needed entertainment.

"Hi, Lucy!" Natsu and Happy flew up to my open window. Speak of the devils.

"Hi, guys," I smiled, "Would it kill you to knock? Or use the front door?"

"Who else is going to fly in through the window?" Happy wondered, "Do you know any other flying cats?"

"I don't think so."

"Good," he made himself comfortable on the corner of my bed, "Keep it that way."

"Actually, Natsu," I bit my tongue, bracing myself for what was about to come, "I needed to ask you something.

"Sure, Lucy," Natsu jumped onto my bed the same way his cat did. Sure. Go ahead. Make yourselves at home. They haven't hesitated before. Why bother now? It's not like I could tell them no, "What's up?"

All of a sudden, I clammed up. My mouth could move, but sound wouldn't come out. Why was this happening? Why was I getting so nervous? It's just Natsu accompanying me to a party at the mansion. Why was it so hard? And why was my heart racing so fast? Relax, Lucy. Or he's going to think you're weird.

"Lucy?" Happy poked at me, "I think she's gone braindead, Natsu."

"I'm not braindead!" my voice came back. Thank you, Happy.

"That's good to know," Natsu smiled that big, stupid grin only he was capable of doing that was just so...UGH! Get it together, Lucy, "So, what did you want to ask me, Lucy?"

"Well," I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks, "There's going to be a party at the mansion tomorrow night. And because my father says I have to be there and he doesn't want me running off, he told me that I need to bring my usual night guard with me. So...Would you go with me?"

"Sure!" he agreed, "That sounds like a great idea! Let's do it!"

"Are you sure?" I winced, "Formal occasions at the mansion are usually glorified business meetings for my father."

"A chance to heckle stuffy aristocracy?" Natsu beamed, "Definitely!"

"Not to mention," Happy moaned out, "All that free food, Natsu...Do you think they'll have fish?"

"I'm sure they will somewhere," I figured, "If not, I can always ask someone in the kitchen to bring you some, Happy."

"Yay!" he squealed, "We have to go now!"

"We're contractually obligated," Natsu reminded him, "If her dad says we have to follow her around at this party, we can't say no."

"Again," I grumbled, "I'm so glad I'm a paycheck to you, Natsu."

"You're not just a paycheck, Lucy," he tried to redeem himself.

"Yeah!" Happy chimed in, "You're a meal ticket, too!"

"Not helping, Cat," I glared.

"Consider this party as us helping out a friend," Natsu suggested, "Even though it's going to be a bunch of uptight people, at least there's one there that won't be like them."

I wasn't sure what that just did to me, but I felt a warmth radiating from the inside. There's no way Natsu could've done that. His strengths lie in warming me from the outside. But it felt good hearing something like that. That I'm not like them. Because I wasn't. My father cared more about his business ventures than me most of the time and I never wanted to be like that. That's what I had Mom for. Even now, he's only gotten worse.

Without another thought, I threw my arms around my favorite night guard, "Thank you, Natsu."

"You're welcome," I could feel him making me warmer, "I'm sure you've had a long day. And tomorrow's only going to be longer for you. You should get some sleep."

"Are you and Happy going to join me?" I asked, meaning nothing but innocence by it.

"I caught a nap earlier today," Natsu shrugged, "And Happy can sleep anytime and anywhere, so at least, he will. But I'll stay here."

"Ok," I went into the bathroom and changed into my pajamas. My bed looked strangely comfortable. And I knew Natsu was making it warm for me. He somehow knew how to help me sleep. I wasn't lying in bed fifteen minutes before I had fallen asleep and it was all because of him.

"Miss Lucy..." a soft, sweeter voice woke me up the next morning. At least Natsu got out before the maids could catch him, "Miss Lucy, it's time to wake up."

"Good morning," my eyes opened up, "What is it?"

"You need to get ready for tonight's party," she reminded me, "I've put your dress in your closet. Will you be needing my assistance?"

"No," I shook my head, "I got it. Thank you."

"Do you need anything else?"

"No," I pulled myself out of bed and made my morning coffee, "Thank you."

"When will you be ready, Miss?"

"I don't know," I shrugged, "Sometime before the party tonight."

"And have you made arrangements with your night guard?"

"Yes," I rolled my eyes, "We talked last night. He'll be there."

"Wonderful!" she smiled, "I'll be taking my leave now."

"Ok," I sent her off and went into my bathroom. On the stationery I kept in my desk, a note folded in half hung on my mirror. Weird.

 _Left your keys in your nightstand drawer._

 _No special requirements needed._

 _You're welcome._

 _See you tonight!_

 _-Natsu_

Awesome! Natsu left my key ring. I knew he'd be the safest place to hide them. That way, my father won't wonder what he was doing with them, considering he gave them to him in the first place. No special requirements needed, huh? Someone did the research I asked him for. This day kept getting better. Sure, the circumstances for the party were still ridiculous, but nothing was going to ruin this for me. I checked my window to make sure the maid was gone. Wait, she did say my dress was in the closet, didn't she? It couldn't hurt to take a little peek at it, could it?

Oh...

Oh no...

I've heard of scary things hiding in closets, but this, by far, was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my closet. I'm sure my father told her gold, but this looked like a baby got a bad case of stomach flu. And then, the pillowcase it was all caught in exploded and became this hot mess. There was no saving this. It needed a proper burial. In a fire pit. And then, set it on fire, so its ghost can't come back to haunt me. However, I have a feeling it's going to haunt my dreams for the rest of my life. I was supposed to meet my soulmate tonight, but this dress was so...I shuddered at the very thought of it.

Alright. Let's give this a shot. Hopefully, my new friend will be able to help me with this. I went into my nightstand and pulled my key ring out, taking off the key that, as Natsu put it so eloquently, had the little loop-dee-loops on it. Let's see. This is Cancer. Cancer's a crab sign. Looks like it's time to make a new contract.

"Open!" I called out, "Gate of the giant crab, Cancer!"

The celestial gate opened and out jumped a strange looking creature. Half man, half crab. And he held a pair of scissors in each hand. I thought crabs had claws, but I guess this would work, too, "You called, baby?"

"Are you Cancer?" I wondered, answering my own dumb question in my head. Who else would be coming out of Cancer's gate?

"That's me," he winked at me through his sunglasses, "What can I do for you, my little celestial wizard?"

"My name is Lucy," I introduced myself, "I'd like to make a contract with you."

"Sure," Cancer agreed, "When do you think you'll need me?"

"Well," I asked, "What can you do?"

"I can do anything with these claws of mine," he explained.

"Actually," I remembered the horrific nightmare hanging in my closet, "You wouldn't happen to have an eye for style, would you?"

"I got two of them, baby," Cancer grinned, "It's kind of a specialty of mine. Why do you ask?"

"Because of the challenge in the closet," I cringed, "Is there anything you could do with it?"

Cancer opened my closet door and saw the monstrosity on the hanger, "Oh, yikes…"

"Yeah," I crawled back into bed and buried my face in my pillows, "I'm supposed to wear that tonight."

"Not on my watch, Miss Lucy," he put his foot down, "Give me ten minutes."

"I don't know," I worried, "It might take you longer than that. It's a dumpster fire."

Out of nowhere, a little glint shined through Cancer's sunglasses, "Oh, ye have little faith, baby. I got this."

"Good luck."

I gave him his space and started focusing on me. Cancer quoted me ten minutes, but I doubt it'll take him such a short amount of time. Like I said, setting it on fire wouldn't even put a dent in it. I really hope Cancer can do something with it. My first order of business when I get to the mansion tonight is to find the seamstress and fire her. Now, how to get the rest of me ready. I had no idea what to do with my hair and my makeup selection was kind of limited. How was I supposed to impress tonight? Then again, it's not like my father had any idea of how much work it took to make me shine like a diamond.

"Miss Lucy," Cancer called for me, "Your dress is all done."

"Did you burn it?" I joked.

"Is this good enough?" he held up a light blue masterpiece. I'm not sure if it's because of the atrocity that used to be there, but there was no way this was the same dress.

"Cancer," my heart burst, "It's perfect. How did you do it so fast?"

"I burned the other one," Cancer shrugged, "This one will look much better on you. The silhouette is nicer."

"Thank you," I awed, holding the soft, chiffon fabric in my hand, "It's perfect. Not quite as femme fatale as what I'd prefer, but this will definitely do."

"You're more of a goddess than a femme fatale, baby," he figured, "What else do you need?"

"Well," I mulled it over, "I'm kind of a hot mess right now, too. You think you could do to me what you did to my dress?"

"You're no hot mess," Cancer reassured me, "But I'll see what I can do."

And for the next few hours, Cancer and I got to know each other. For being a celestial spirit, this guy had a talent. I definitely needed to keep this key close. After he went back to the gate, I had a little bit of time to kill before my ride was here. What do I do? I needed to admire Cancer's handiwork. I loved Lyra dearly, but I might have a new favorite celestial spirit. If this was what he could do when he was just helping me out, I wonder how he'd do in a fight. I shook off the thoughts of battle and went back to looking in the mirror.

Stifled laughter came from the window, "Wow, Lucy. I didn't realize how narcissistic you were until just now."

"HAPPY!" I snapped, glaring at the blue cat floating in midair.

"Sorry, Lucy!" Natsu yelled from the ground, "I didn't think he was going up there by himself!"

"It's fine," I grumbled, "But I'm not a narcissist! It's been a while since I've gone anywhere formal and I forgot how good I can look when the occasion comes up."

"Can I come up now?" Natsu begged, "Come on, Happy. Not all of us can fly."

"Hold on, Natsu," I stopped him, "I'll just come down there. You do have the key to the tower, don't you?"

"Yeah."

"I'll be down in a minute!" I grabbed my bag off the chair, "Come on, Happy. We need to get going."

"Ok," Happy followed me down the stairs and I waited for Natsu to open the door."

"Wow…" I left him speechless. Natsu looked me over and all that would come out of his mouth, "Wow, Lucy. You look nice tonight."

"Thanks," I blushed a bit, "I had a little help. And in a way, I have you to thank for that."

"What did I do?" Natsu wondered.

"Cancer helped me," I told him, "And if you wouldn't have found out the summoning conditions, I wouldn't have been able to make that contract."

"I guess I make a pretty good fake celestial wizard," he bragged, "Maybe I should take it up as a side practice."

"All you did was some reading," I giggled, "I wouldn't let it go to your head."

See? This was the easy part. Just Natsu and me like nothing was going on. There was no party at the mansion tonight. I wasn't being held in that tower against my will. Tonight, I was just hanging out with a friend. Two of them if we're counting Happy. Although…Something about seeing Natsu in a nicely fitting suit was doing something to me…Regardless, tonight is going to be fun. It's not like my father's setting me up with someone and selling me off like cattle.

When we arrived back at the mansion, an overwhelming feeling of comfort washed over me. I missed being here. At the time, I thought it was suffocating, but that was before I found out how much worse it could be. Hindsight's 20-20, I guess. Well…Home sweet home.

"This is your house, Lucy?" Natsu gasped, checking out the sprawling estate.

"Yep," I nodded, "Up until I moved to the tower. Albeit against my will."

"Wait…" Things started to click in his head, "You didn't ask to go there?"

"You didn't know?"

"I had no idea," Natsu's spirit shattered. I couldn't have that. Not when his smile can light up the whole room. And if he was going to be attached to my hip for the night, I wasn't going to have him miserable. If being friends with Natsu for the past couple of months has taught me anything, it's the way to his heart will always be through his stomach.

"Come on," I took his hand, "I'm starving. Let's go heckle the aristocracy and grab some food, ok?"

"Alright," he started to come around. There you are, Natsu. You had me worried.

Once we got inside, a sudden realization hit me. There were a lot of guys here…More than what I was comfortable with. And they were all for me! If this wasn't being forced on me, I'd be thrilled. Unfortunately, they were all told to be here by my father for the sake of marrying me off. I will not come out of this night engaged. I will not come out of this night engaged. I will not come out of this night engaged. And I'm sure that as long as I had…

Wait…

Where did Natsu and Happy go…?

They were right…

…Over at the buffet table stuffing their faces. Why should I be surprised?

"Hello, Lucy," my father walked up to me, "You look better than you did yesterday."

"Thank you," I curtseyed. Looks like I have to go this alone, "It's nice to be out of the tower and back home for the time being."

"Come with me," Father took my hand and led me to six different guys that looked to be my age and maybe a little older. As far as looks go, they were all kind of mediocre. I've seen better. Either they were from some influential family across Fiore or they were the son of one of my father's business contacts and he wanted me to marry into it for their money and their business. I knew I shouldn't have come tonight. To all of them, I was just a piece of meat, a commodity, something to help their stock prices go up. And I couldn't deal with it anymore.

I ran up to my room to deal with my disgust in private. None of them cared about me. They were just like my father and I never wanted to marry someone like that. Someone that's putting his business before his own daughter's happiness. And he wonders why I'd want to run away from this and join a guild instead of taking over. This was not the night I was meant to have. This wasn't the life I was meant to have.

I didn't want to be someone's little trophy wife that he could parade around when it suited him. Someone to feign love and support to make him look more appealing to potential clients. And then, to give him even more bonus points, to bring me around when I'm big and pregnant and hating my life to really make him look better. I was worth more than being someone's accessory and I refuse to be to him what my mother was to my father. I wanted adventure. I wanted excitement. Most importantly, I just wanted to feel alive.

"Lucy?" a welcomed voice broke the silence in my room, "Are you ok?"

"Natsu…" I sat up in my bed, "What are you doing in here?"

"Wondering what you're doing in here," he sat with me, "You're missing the party."

"I don't care anymore," I wiped the tears off my cheeks, "I didn't want to come to this in the first place."

"Then, why did you?" Natsu asked.

"Do you know why you were hired to be my guard?"

"No," he shook his head, "I always thought it was just a guard job. The ad didn't say anything about a person being involved. Just an important treasure."

"Yeah," I scoffed, "Important."

"You are important," Natsu assured, "You're one of those people that the world wouldn't be the same without."

"If you're trying to talk me down from the ledge here, Natsu," I sighed out, "You're doing a good job at it. I appreciate the sentiment, but I…I don't know. You were hired to make sure I didn't escape again."

"What's stopping you now?"

Instantly, I perked up, "What?"

"What's stopping you?" Natsu repeated himself with a mischievous glint in his eye and a smirk on his face, "Anywhere I go, you have to go, too, right? For the sake of tonight?"

"Yeah."

"Come on," he took my hand, "You're miserable here, Lucy. I can see it all over your face. You don't deserve this."

"You're right!" I got up, "But how am I going to get out of here?"

"Walk out the front door," Natsu figured, "Do you trust me?"

"Mildly."

"Come on!" he grabbed my hand and brought me back downstairs where everyone else was. I had no clue what he was planning, but he had something on his mind. As Happy laid bloated in his own idea of heaven, Natsu brought me over to my father, "Hey, Lord Heartfilia."

"Yes?" Father turned around. I didn't even look him in the eye. I couldn't, "Lucy, where have you been? I've been meaning to speak with you."

"It's getting late," Natsu took over for me, "I'm going to bring her back to the tower."

"Hold on," he stopped us, "Lucy, have you decided?"

"I'm very tired," I lied, "I'd like to sleep on it."

"No," Father demanded, "Pick one."

"I can't," I started getting defensive. Honestly, it'd be narrowed down to which one I hated the least. And even then, I'd still say no, "I'd like to go to bed."

"Lucy," he growled, "The idea of this party was to find someone to marry you. Don't make this a waste of time."

"She said she was tired," Natsu stepped in, a fire in his eyes.

"This has nothing to do with you," Father brushed him aside, "If you don't pick someone, Lucy, I'm deciding for you. Don't say I didn't extend my sincerest courtesy."

"You hired me to protect her," Natsu bounced back, "How can I do that if she's not being taken care of?"

His boldness knocked my father down a peg or two. And I got the strangest sense of joy from it. A couple minutes went by before he came to again, "Tomorrow morning. I'll be by the tower to get your answer tomorrow morning."

"Yes, sir." Whatever you're planning, Natsu, I'd like to be let in on it now.

"Good night, Lucy," Father kissed my forehead, "I love you. I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night."

"Hey, Happy!" Natsu called out into the crowd, "Come on! Time to go!"

"Can't…move…" Happy groaned, "So…Full…"

"Come on," I scooped him up off the table and carried him out, "Honestly, Natsu. How do you deal with this?"

"Hey!"

"Day by day," Natsu gave Happy a little pat on the head, "You and me, buddy. You and me."

I toted the now sleeping cat outside to our carriage and the three of us started heading back to the tower. In a perfect world, I'd have Natsu sleeping, too. Seeing his motion sickness in action is not pretty. Any time he'd throw up out the window, I had to look away or I'd be sympathy puking with him. When he said we'd be going back to the tower, I didn't think we'd actually be going back to the tower. Once the carriage stopped, Natsu was right as rain again.

"Thanks, man," he waved to the driver, "I got her from here. Go ahead and go home."

Our carriage driver turned around and started heading back for the mansion. My head hurt. What were we doing here? This was part of the plan, right? Natsu wasn't really keeping me here, was he? He wasn't in league with my father, was he? He didn't think the same way about tonight's party as my father, did he?

"Natsu," I took the plunge, "What are we doing here?"

"Come on," he took my hand, "We should get going. If we hurry, we can make it to the train station before the last train goes out."

"Wait," I beamed, "Where are we going?"

"Your dad's going to show up tomorrow morning," Natsu explained, "Something tells me you don't want to be there when he does."

"No."

"Well, then," he grinned, running off down the road, "Let's hop the last train to Magnolia! That is where you want to be, right?"

"Yeah," I squeaked, struggling to keep up with him, "But where am I going to go from there?"

"You can stay at the guild hall!" Natsu decided, "I'm sure Gramps won't have a problem with that. And you were planning on joining a guild anyway. Why not ours?"

"Hang on," I stopped to catch my breath, "I've been meaning to ask you…"

"Ask me on the train," he kept going, "The distraction will be nice."

"But I have to know," I ran with him again, "What guild are you in?"

"I've never told you?" Natsu spun around, "Fairy Tail!"

 **A/N: Can I express my deep seeded love for Natsu Dragneel real quick? Because he's just…Like…Especially in this chapter. When he's standing up for Lucy to her dad, words cannot describe how much I love that. Even in AUs, the one constant that will always remain. No matter how much they may hate each other, Natsu's always going to stand up for Lucy. Why? Because the NaLu runs so strong. SO! Next week, we're going to be going back to Magnolia and even better, we're going to the guild hall! And to the shenanigans that accompany that mess. See you next chapter! xx**


	7. Where the Adventure Starts

**A/N: Hello, friends. If you're here looking for shenanigans, you won't find any. If you were hoping there was going to be comic mischief, any mischief from here will not be comical. If you had intentions of this not being a dumpster fire, you were sorely mistaken.**

 **You know my shenanigans are always cheeky and my mischief is usually comical. Sometimes, it's spiteful. Sometimes, it's sadistic. Regardless, hi there, you cuties. And to my boi, my dude…I'm proud of you. Not only for your restraint for keeping this a dab free zone (And you, too, can do your part to make sure my reviews remain a dab free zone for generations to come. All it takes is mere pocket change. Pennies a day can end this epidemic sweeping the nation. Donate today.), but for not going all Office Space on your computer. Can I still make Office Space references and people understand them? Have I reached that level of old? I mean, I was talking with my beta on NYE and she had to ask me who Limp Bizkit was, so are Office Space references too before most of your time? Never mind that now. How about we get on to the chapter for the week, yeah?**

Seeing it from the carriage ride to the mansion was enough for a lifetime, but Natsu's motion sickness on the train to Magnolia? That was a monster all its own. I did my best to suppress any sympathy puking for his sake. Was this every time Natsu had to travel? I had to stay strong for him. He was good enough to take care of me when I wasn't feeling well. The least I could do was reciprocate a little.

"This sucks," Natsu groaned, his head resting on my lap.

"You'll be ok," I comforted, putting my arm around him, "Look on the bright side. This is a direct train to Magnolia. We won't have to get on three different trains."

"I'd almost prefer the stops," he cuddled a little more around my legs, "Then, I could have a break from this."

"It's not much longer," I assured, running my hand up and down his spine, "Then we'll be off this train and you can start to feel better, ok? You can wait another hour, can't you?"

"I'd rather not," Natsu's eyelids lowered, "But what choice do I have?"

"Why don't you try getting some sleep?" I suggested, "I'll wake you up when we get to the station."

"Ok." Hopefully, the sleep will help. Poor Natsu. I hated seeing him so miserable. But if he's sleeping, he's not puking, so I guess we'll take the small victories.

It's hard to believe Natsu was a Fairy Tail wizard. After everything I've read about Fairy Tail, it had a reputation for being home to some of the strongest wizards to ever exist. Then, to look down at Natsu sleeping in my lap...He looked so fragile and innocent. Nothing like the tough as nails wizards I've read about. Natsu was strong enough for the both of us when he rescued me from my tower, though. That must count for something.

Rest easy, Natsu. I can be strong for us, too. Besides, I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you for what you've done for me? What kind of price does one put on their freedom? I don't think the half a million joule and my gate keys are going to cover it anymore.

An hour later, we finally pulled into Magnolia Station. I missed this town. When I got my first chance to come here, I went to my first magic shop and bought Lyra's gate key. She's probably still in my father's safe in his study. One day, I'll have to get her back. I can't leave her behind like that. I can't abandon her. I wouldn't be able to do that with any of my spirits. Speaking of...

"Hey, Natsu," I spoke softly, shaking his shoulder, "Natsu, wake up. We're here."

Slowly, but surely his eyes opened up. A combination of tired and completely content, a little smile graced Natsu's face, "Hey, Lucy. Welcome to Magnolia."

"Thanks," I giggled, helping him sit up, "But we should probably hurry and get off before more of the free food from the mansion goes to waste."

"Great idea," Natsu scooped Happy into his arms, making sure not to wake him, "And I'm still sorry about your shoes. I'll take care of them."

"Never mind that," I followed him off the train and onto the platform, suppressing the memory of my shoes meeting their vomit covered demise, "How are you feeling? Better, I hope?"

"We're not moving anymore," he pointed out, "I feel fine. Like we weren't even on the train to begin with. What about you?"

"Me?" I wondered, "I wasn't the one throwing up for the past three hours."

"True," Natsu agreed, "But you just ran away from home."

"Something I've been wanting to do for a while now," I settled him, "I'm fine, Natsu. Now, I want to see the guild hall."

"We'll get there," he brushed me off. Natsu patted his pockets down, fishing around in his left one, "By the way, I have something for you. I meant to give it to you on the train, but I was in no shape to."

A shiny piece of silver popped out of the top of Natsu's pocket. Right away, I knew exactly what that was. Even before I saw the harp etched on the handle, "Lyra!"

"You name your gate keys?" Natsu gave me a look.

"And you say you're not weird, Lucy," the sleeping cat in Natsu's arms piped up.

"No, you morons," I rolled my eyes, still glowing on the inside, "Lyra isn't the name of the key. She's the spirit in the key. Natsu, how did you get this key? It was locked up in my father's safe. And when did you get it?"

"I've been holding onto that since the party," he told me, "Before I went into your room, I thought I'd do a little snooping around. Just to see how the other half lived. So, I went into your dad's study, saw the safe, and seized the opportunity. I could tell you were upset, so I thought having one of your celestial gate keys back would cheer you up."

Without another word, I threw my arms around Natsu, enough to wake Happy and send him flying straight up into the air, "Hey! You forget someone?"

"Thank you, Natsu," my voice broke, "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," Natsu hugged me back, "Now, we should..."

Flash!

"Welcome to Magnolia!" a photographer appeared out of nowhere, "Souvenir photo?"

"Sure," I took a little bit of money out of my bag and looked at the picture. Just as I wanted to remember. Happy in the air, me in Natsu's arms on the verge of tears, Lyra's key in my hands again. Perfect. Absolutely perfect.

"Hey," Natsu peeked over my shoulder, "I want to see it, too, Lucy!"

"Sorry," I gave him the picture.

"What an awful picture," he looked it over, "Didn't even get my good side."

"Your good side?" Happy floated above him, "I look like I'm about to sneeze."

"Wow," I shook my head, taking the picture back, "Is that really all you two can think about? Not the context?"

"Who knew you were into that kind of thing, Lucy?" Happy shrugged.

"I can appreciate a nicely taken picture," I admitted, "Is that such a crime?"

"He's just getting you worked up," Natsu excused him, "Come on! The guild hall's just up the road. You did say you were trying to join a guild."

"Hold on," I stopped him, "I need to check something really quick."

"What's that?"

"Open!" I pulled a key off my ring, "Gate of the harp constellation, Lyra!"

The familiar bright light appeared on the ground and a sweet little spirit jumped through the gate, "Hello, Miss Lucy! Long time, no see!"

I hugged Lyra as tight as I possibly could and nearly started crying, "It's good to see you, too, Lyra. Are you alright?"

"Of course I am," she gave me a look, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"My keys got stolen," I filled her in, "And I was wondering if you could feel it on the other side of the gate."

"No," Lyra shook her head, "I'm perfectly fine. But thank you for worrying about me. Did you need me for something?"

"Just making sure you're ok," I sighed out.

"Who are your friends?" she asked, petting Happy's head, "Your floating kitty is adorable."

"Who is this chick?" Happy wasn't quite sure how to take the sudden affection.

"This is Lyra," I introduced her, "She's one of my celestial spirits. Lyra, this is Natsu and Happy."

"You're so cute," Lyra was too busy gushing over Happy to even give Natsu the time of day. I never expected her to be a cat person.

"Hey, Lucy," Natsu tried not to let his jealousy get to him, "We really need to get going."

"Ok," I took out Lyra's key, "You can go back to your gate now, Lyra. I'll call if I need anything."

"Anytime, Miss Lucy!" And just like that, Lyra went back to her gate.

"Who was she calling cute?" Happy pouted.

"You, dummy," Natsu giggled, "Come on! Let's go!"

I followed my bodyguard and his weird, blue cat to a big, beautiful building. A banner hung from the roof with the same symbol on it as the one on Natsu's shoulder. Here it was. Right in front of me. The Fairy Tail guild hall. We did it, Mom. We made it. Well…Almost made it. I still haven't been accepted yet. Hopefully, these two can put in a good word for me.

"Home sweet home," Natsu pushed the door open, revealing an oddly quiet guild hall. From what I understood, Fairy Tail was a rowdy bunch, "Nothing like coming back to the guild hall after a job."

"Welcome back, Natsu," a sweet, little voice came from the back bar. No. Way. Was that Mirajane? She's been Sorcerer Weekly's go-to centerfold for ages! She's so much prettier in person! Don't freak out. Don't freak out. Don't freak out, "How was your last job?"

"Not too bad," he pulled up a seat, "By the way, this is Lucy. She's looking to join the guild."

"What?" my heart stopped, "Hold on. Natsu, can I have a word with you in private for a minute?"

"Sure," I dragged him off, "Ow! A little gentler next time, Lucy!"

"What do you mean, I'm looking to join the guild?" I growled, keeping my voice down as much as I could.

"Didn't you say you were looking for a guild?" he recovered.

"Yeah, but…"

"What better guild than ours?" Natsu cut me off, "I think we'd make a good team, the three of us."

"I'm sorry to butt in," Mirajane apologized, "But Master Makarov went to bed already. If you're looking to join our guild, Lucy, you're going to have to check back tomorrow."

"Of course, Gramps went to bed," Natsu whined, "Oh, well. I don't see any harm in letting her crash here for the night, though, right?"

"That's fine by me," she allowed, "You can stay here tonight, Lucy."

"Thank you," I smiled.

It's hard to believe I'd be staying in a guild hall. I'm not even a member yet and they're already showing me such hospitality. To think, when I woke up this morning, I was still in that tower. I fell asleep with Natsu in my bed. And now, I'd be falling asleep in his guild hall. Not bad for a runaway princess looking for refuge. Princes…No. Not anymore. Now, I wasn't the daughter of a wealthy aristocrat. I wasn't the debutant. As of now, I was simply Lucy Heartfilia, future Fairy Tail wizard. We'll see about that in the morning.

"Natsu…" a deep, rumbly voice came from the shadows, "Where have you been?"

"Are you my mother now?" Natsu brushed him off.

"Where were you?" the voice repeated. Then, a dark-haired boy emerged from the darkness.

"I was on a job," Natsu defended, "Not that it's any of your business."

"Sure, you were," he scoffed, "You weren't backing out of our fight, were you?"

"Of course not!" Natsu squealed, "Not that it'd be much of a fight."

"What did you say?" And he whipped his shirt off! I covered my eyes out of reflex. Is that really necessary? Why was this guy shirtless?

"Face it," Natsu smirked, "Ice doesn't stand a chance against fire and you know it."

"Say that again…"

"You…Do not…Stand…A…Chance…"

"Burn out!"

"Popsicle!"

"Matchstick!"

"Ice cube!"

"Hot head!"

"Sno-cone!"

"You're going to regret that, Natsu!" Shirtless threw the first punch, driving Natsu into the floor.

"I don't think so!" Natsu emerged from his crater, sending the other guy flying, "I'm just getting fired up!"

"Shouldn't someone stop this?" I freaked.

"Don't worry, Lucy," Mirajane assured me, "If you're going to be joining the guild, you might as well get used to this."

"Wait," I thought for a minute, "Are you saying they're always like this?"

"Oh yeah," she nodded, "All the time. Natsu and Gray fight like cats and dogs on a regular basis. The Master has them put away some of their earnings for any repairs the guild hall might need because of them. It's kind of like our guild's version of a swear jar."

"Aren't swear jars supposed to keep them from swearing?"

"I never said it worked," Mirajane ran her hand down Happy's back while he slept on the counter, "They better start winding it down before it really gets messy."

"What do you mean?" I worried.

"Well," she explained, "If the Master doesn't get enough sleep…"

"WHAT'S WITH ALL THE NOISE?!" The guild hall started shaking. Something tells me I should find cover.

All of a sudden, all of the other wizards froze in terror. Natsu and the shirtless guy stopped fighting each other in mid-punch. Everyone was terrified, myself included, except for one. And how she was maintaining her composure was the true sorcery here, "Hello, Master Makarov. Natsu's home."

"I SHOULD'VE KNOWN!" a small man with a big voice came out and clocked Natsu upside the head with an overgrown fist, "WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU TWO ABOUT FIGHTING THIS LATE?"

"Sorry, Gramps," Natsu cowered a bit.

"SORRY ISN'T GOING TO GET MY SLEEP BACK!" Hold on. Was that the guild master?! No way, "NOW, WOULD YOU BOTH SHUT UP AND LET AN OLD MAN GET SOME SLEEP?!"

"We're sorry, Master," Shirtless was just as scared as Natsu, completely unable to make eye contact.

SLAM!

One of the doors upstairs flung back open, "AND GRAY, WOULD YOU PUT A SHIRT ON?!"

"When did that happen?" Shirtless looked down at his bare chest.

"How do you not know when you do that?" Natsu wondered.

"It's a habit, ok?" Shirtless…Or, I guess I could start calling him Gray now…looked for his shirt.

"That whole bed thing sounds like a good idea," Natsu agreed, "There's a room upstairs. Is that alright with you, Lucy?"

"Yeah," I came back to my senses, "That's fine. I can always go house hunting in the morning."

"Wait a sec," Gray stopped me, "Who are you?"

"This was the job," Natsu introduced me, "Gray, this is Lucy. Lucy, this is Gray. Feel free to ignore him."

"It's nice to meet you, Gray," I smiled sweetly, "You know Natsu. He is a little hot headed. Please excuse him."

"A little?" Gray chuckled, "You haven't known him long, have you?"

"For the past few months," I pointed out, "I'd say I know him pretty well by this point."

"Taking a girl up to your room, Natsu?" a woman sat by with a giant barrel next to her. By the sounds of it, she was about to break into a serious case of hiccups, "You kids play nice."

"Shut up, Cana!" Natsu turned bright red, "It's not like that!"

"Not yet…" she winked, "Look, I don't want to have to have the talk with you."

"Come on," Natsu dragged me upstairs and into a bedroom, shutting the door behind him, "Sorry about that."

Honestly, I didn't even care. Everything was coming together. I could be joining a guild as early as tomorrow morning. I'm finally out of the mansion. Nothing and no one could stop me anymore. And now, I could live the life in Magnolia I wanted. My adventure with Natsu and Happy could finally begin. I'm finally free.

 **A/N: Mama Cana knows what's up. She's shipping NaLu before we've even made much evidence of it. But then again, we do have them sharing a bedroom…and a bed…It's totally logical for Cana to be giving the wink, wink. But we had a few introductions this chapter! Other than Cana's drunken insinuations. We got Shirtle…Gray. (Funny story about that. My mom and I were taking my nephew back to his mom's one day and there was a guy running down the street with dark hair and a chest tattoo and my nephew said, "Mimi, look. It's Gray!" and I just…I died.) We got Master Makarov (or if you're familiar with the 50% Off lore, Easter Dave…I know. Blew my mind, too.) We got Mirajane and Lucy's fangirling over her. And before too long, we'll have some other guild members…not necessarily Fairy Tail guild members, but other wizards nonetheless.**

 **Now, because I got you here, can I gush real quick over something? And it's still perfectly within genre here because there are a few Fairy Tail related ones on homeboy's channel. But all I can say is God bless Akidearest. I'm sure a lot of you are at least a little familiar with Aki and her adorable face. But why didn't anyone else tell me that anime ASMR was a thing? Because I found a few that were kind of unsettling (I'm looking at you, Victor and Yuri bath time…And glaring…And also saved to my favorites.), but some of them were absolutely amazing. I spent some quality time on ASMR Anime Radio and had myself an evening. 4/5. Highly recommend. Single point deduction for some of the unsettling things (like Levi Ackerman referring to himself as Daddy…No…), but overall, it helps me get to sleep. Swear to God, I need to start a YouTube channel…Out of curiosity, would any of you be interested in that? Because that would be a lot more than just me rambling down here. You'd actually see my mediocre face. I don't know. Something to think about. On that note, friends, see you next chapter! xx**


	8. A Morning in the Guild Hall

I almost forgot where I was for a minute when I woke up this morning. Still, it felt so natural. Warm enough to where I didn't need a blanket (almost suffocating warm). A little blue cat still sleeping at the foot of the bed. A pyromaniac sleeping so peacefully next to me. This hasn't changed. And I was perfectly fine with that. It was the rest of it that threw me off.

The Fairy Tail guild hall. This place was massive and I had only seen the front room and Natsu's room. Everything still felt so surreal. It's hard to believe that this wasn't a dream. I'm really here. I made it out of the tower. And I had the boy sleeping next to me to thank for that. If I could ever do it justice. For now, I think I'm going to find where they keep the coffee pot in this place.

If there isn't one, I may cry. It won't be too big of a deal, though. I'm sure Magnolia is home to a few adorable cafes that would be more than happy to serve me. In my great, grand search for a coffee pot, I found the courtyard instead. What a beautiful morning! Or has it been that long since I felt the morning sun beating down on my skin?

No one else was out here except for me and the angry old man from last night. That's right. He's the guild master. I hope my association with Natsu won't make a bad impression. If he hurts my chances of getting in, I'd never forgive him for that. Nevertheless, right there was the man to impress. I'm pretty sure I could do that much.

"No need to be shy, my dear," he gestured to me, "Come sit with me."

"Thank you, sir," I bowed, taking a spot next to him.

"Now," he looked me over, "I noticed you came in last night with Happy and Natsu."

"Yes, sir." Natsu, I swear if you screwed this up for me, I'm smothering you.

"Who are you?" the master asked.

"My name is Lucy," I introduced myself with beads of sweat racing down my back. I've met foreign dignitaries from all over the world. Yet, I've never felt so nervous. Relax, Lucy. You're just two people having a conversation. Just making small talk. Everything's fine.

"Are you a wizard, Lucy?"

"Yes, sir." Was I being too formal? I felt like I was being too formal. Curse my aristocratic upbringing!

"What kind of wizard?"

There's something I could do. I'm finally in my element. I took my key ring off my belt loop, "I'm a celestial wizard. So far, I have four gate keys, but my collection is growing. Once I get settled in Magnolia, I hope to get to one of the magic shops and get some more."

"Could you give me a demonstration please?" he requested, still not giving me a clear read on whether or not he liked me. So far, this only seemed like polite conversation to pass the time. Who was I to turn down a chance to show off my skills a little bit?

"Sure," I happily obliged, debating who to pull out for the occasion.

"Hold on," the master stopped me, "You have gold gate keys, too? And three of them, no less?"

"I do," I nodded, "Taurus, Aquarius, and Cancer."

"How long have you been practicing your magic, Lucy?" he wondered, still in complete awe.

"Only a few months," I bit my tongue, "But I'm also a fast learner!"

"And you already have three zodiac keys?" he gasped, "I'm impressed. Where'd you get them?"

"Two of them belonged to my mother," I told him the tale, "Before she died, she told me that the key she gave me was very special. At the time, I didn't know what she meant until I found out it was the gate key for Aquarius. Cancer belonged to her, too, but I found that one on my own. And Taurus was a gift."

"Go on," the master pushed me along, "Show me what you can do. And open one of the zodiac gates. It doesn't take much to control a regular constellation, but it takes a special kind of celestial wizard to control members of the zodiac."

"Ok." Who would I show him. I'm sure Aquarius would appreciate the fountain in the courtyard, but she'd probably kill me for something so petty. It's too early for me to summon Taurus. I don't need his special brand of pervert this early in the morning. I guess I only had one choice. As Natsu put it so eloquently, I got out my key with the loop-dee-loops on it and prepared my stance, "Open! Gate of the giant crab, Cancer!"

I watched as Cancer emerged from his gate, "You call for me, Miss Lucy?"

"I'm impressed," the master praised, "That looked effortless."

"I don't know why," I shrugged, "Celestial magic has always come easy to me. Hi, Cancer. Good morning. I'm sorry to tell you this, but I'm just showing off. I don't think I need you right now."

Cancer took a long, assessing look at me, tilting his sunglasses down, "Have you seen yourself yet, Miss Lucy? You need me."

"Go back to your gate," I grumbled, sending Cancer back to the celestial world. That was an insult I didn't need today. Cancer's sass was going to be something to get used to.

"Alright," the master allowed, "I want you to go see Mirajane. Tell her I say to…"

"Lucy!" a voice broke us up, "What are you doing out here?"

"I'm assuming I just had my guild interview," I figured, "Why?"

"Why didn't you say something?" Natsu freaked, "I was going to put in a good word for you!"

"You were sleeping," I pointed out, "I didn't think waking you would've been a good idea."

"We don't need to rebuild the guild hall," the master chimed in, "It's bad enough we already have the repairs in the main room. You don't have enough in your repairs jar to rebuild the entire guild hall."

"Thanks, Gramps," Natsu pouted, "Way to put the wound to my pride."

"And is your ego that big?" he went on, "Ever think Lucy wanted to get in on her own merit instead of you putting in that good word for her and hoping for the best?"

"Wait," I perked up, "Are you saying I'm in?"

"Before Natsu rudely interrupted," the master glared, "I was about to tell you see Mirajane about your mark. That way, you are an official member of Fairy Tail. Like I said, it takes a special kind of wizard to have such good control over members of the zodiac. And in such a short amount of time, too. Besides, we're short on the celestial wizard front, so having one couldn't hurt."

"I'm in?!" I squealed, "I'm in!"

"Yes," his glare turned into a smile, "Welcome to the guild, Lucy. Happy to have you."

"Thank you, Master Makarov," I beamed, "You won't regret this."

"Alright!" Natsu cheered with me, "You're in the guild now, too! That means you, me, and Happy can be a team!"

"It's weird," I giggled, "I go from your mission to your teammate over the course of one night."

"I will be expecting that other half of the reward one day," he grinned, "Just so you know."

"Thanks, Natsu," I rolled my eyes, "You killed the moment."

"Come on!" Natsu chirped, "Let's go talk to Mira about getting your guild mark!"

"Ok!"

"Lucy," Master Makarov stopped me, letting Natsu run ahead, "Can I speak with you for a moment alone?"

"Sure," I wasn't quite sure how to take that, but he did just let me in the guild, "What is it?"

"I know your secret." My stomach dropped. Nothing more terrifying than that phrase.

"What secret?" I chuckled nervously, "I don't have any secret."

"Yes, you do," he insisted, "I know who you are, Lucy Heartfilia. Your family is rather powerful around here, is it not?"

"I don't like that it is," I grumbled, "But yes. What about it?"

"Your father is Jude Heartfilia, right?"

"Unfortunately," I felt my skin crawl.

"I met him once in my life," Master Makarov began, "When he came into my guild hall and placed the ad looking for a dragon to guard his treasure. We only have one dragon slayer here."

"Natsu," my smile came back, "I think we've met."

"You're not the only one he didn't want practicing magic, Lucy," he took my hand, "And Layla would've been very proud of where you are right now. I know she is."

"Thank you," my heart radiated with such warmth, "Did you know my mother?"

"She came in here looking for a guild to join," Master Makarov nodded, "I was away at a conference, so we couldn't bring anyone new in. In the time I was gone, she met your father and the rest is history. She tried again, but she said she had been called away to be married shortly after. I'm glad to see you didn't follow in those footsteps, but you are fulfilling her legacy."

"Yes, sir," I got back up, "But I don't want to be thought of as Jude Heartfilia's daughter or Layla Heartfilia's legacy. I just want to be me."

"And your secret will stay safe with me," he promised, "Now, go on. Go see Mirajane and get your guild mark."

"Thank you," I bowed one last time and ran inside. I did it! I got a guild! I got away from my father! I really did it…Didn't I?

I walked back into the main room of the guild hall and things seemed to have picked up a little more. Some of the other members were sitting around, having breakfast, but I was a girl on a mission. I had to go see Mirajane in order to join the rest of them. Somewhere in the shuffle, I managed to lose Natsu. I'm sure he's getting something for Happy and himself.

"Good morning, Lucy!" Mirajane's sweet, lyrical voice chimed, "I hope you slept ok."

"I did," I smiled, physically unable not to, "Actually, you were just who I wanted to see."

"Me?" she awed, "What do you need?"

"Master Makarov told me you could give me my guild mark," I relayed his message, "He said it was ok."

"I was wondering how long it would've taken him to approve you," Mirajane beamed, getting out what looked like a rubber stamp, "Are you ready to pledge your loyalty to the guild?"

"Absolutely," I couldn't have been more ready. Right now, I had more adrenaline pumping through my body than I've ever had before. This is it. This is happening! This is a thing! I shut my eyes in anticipation, concentrating on how hard my blood was pulsing through my body.

"Alright!" she finished, "We're done. Welcome to Fairy Tail! How it works is that you go to the request board, pick a job, and collect your reward. That's all it is. If you need anything, anyone around the guild would be more than happy to help you out. Although, by the looks of it, you already have one of those practically on a leash."

"What do you mean?" I wondered.

"Natsu," Mirajane pointed out, "Aside from right now, he follows you everywhere. He'd kill me for saying this, but when he'd come back every morning, he'd gush about whatever you two did that night before. He's been advocating for your induction into the guild for a month and a half now. This could be just outside speculation talking, but I think there's something special between you two. At least on Natsu's side anyway."

"Really?" I had no idea. He wasn't…No. That's ridiculous. I'm sure he just respects me as a wizard and empathizes with my plight to get where I am today. Nothing more. Nothing less. And us sharing a bed is just his way of keeping me warm at night. It's nice that he wanted me in the guild, though. I'm sure the makeshift sense of family will be a nice change of pace.

"Hey, Lucy!" Speak of the devil. Natsu ran over with Happy riding on his shoulder, "Didn't you say something about wanting to run around town today?"

"Yeah," I remembered, shaking all the mush out of my head. That boy had some incredible timing, "I need to do some house hunting."

"What for?" Natsu asked, his heart breaking in his eyes, "You're a member of the guild now, right? Your hand gives it away."

"Yeah," I looked down at the pink mark on my hand. Same one as the red one on Natsu's shoulder, the dark blue one on Gray's chest. This isn't a dream, Lucy. When you wake up tomorrow morning, that mark is still going to be there, "What about it?"

"You can just stay at the guild hall," he pleaded his case, "What'd be so bad about that?"

"I appreciate the thought, Natsu," I thanked, "But I need my own space. If you want, though, you and Happy are more than welcome to help me find a place."

"Really?" Happy chimed, "Definitely! We are going, right, Natsu?"

"Oh yeah!" Natsu approved, "Besides, we know Magnolia like the back of our hands. We wouldn't want you to fall into a bad neighborhood. Come on, Happy! Let's go house hunting!"

"Aye, sir!"

Oh…no…Why do I have a very bad feeling about this? Invite Natsu and Happy to go house hunting with you, Lucy. It'll be a great idea!

 **A/N: Good luck and Godspeed, Lucy. Because saying Natsu and Happy are a little rough around the edges is a giant understatement. Hopefully, they'll be able to behave themselves while Lucy's discussing real estate, but honestly, what are the odds of that happening? All that aside, I'm going to take this time to address how warm and inviting Master Makarov has been. And how I'm making things come full circle by having Layla once pledge the Fairy Tail guild long ago. We're not going to make that same mistake again, are we, Master? I don't think so.**

 **Now, to my dude, because you're the only one that said anything about my possible future YouTube endeavors, what would be the best channel for me to run? Because a follow me vlog channel wouldn't be much. It'd be me sitting at my desk, outlining chapters for you guys for the whole week and me writing. Also, I'd be sacrificing a day in the week from updating in order to film/edit/upload. However, I'm not an angry enough person to go off on ranting tangents (although, I could…). Ideally, what I'd love to do is take a channel called Mishkali (If you haven't familiarized yourself with Nikki's work, you should. She's an angel and one of my favorites. Definitely my favorite cosplay channel. That's for sure. Also, Nikki, if you're reading this by some act of God, you're a goddess to me and I love you and Rachel dearly.) and AkiDearest's channel and have them make a channel baby to be the LumiOlivier channel. Because I tend to go off on otaku tangents to people that have no idea what I'm talking about and I feel like you guys would understand that more than they would. I don't know. I'm at a loss here. Anyone is more than welcome to kick ideas my way. We can brainstorm this out.**

 **Also, to my dude, the fact that you haven't seen Office Space kind of breaks my heart a little, but to put everything into context, there's a scene where these guys are just going ham on a computer (copier? I don't remember. I haven't watched Office Space since my junior year of high school and that was seven years ago) with a baseball bat. Fantastic piece of cinema. Just wonderful. But! Like I said, if you got any ideas for the YouTube channel, you're more than welcome to kick them my way. That's open for anyone really. I will say this, though. First video, expect to see my dog at least once. She's too cute not to include somehow. Mika bean is my very special girl. I'm going to shut up now before I start to ramble and go watch the live action Fullmetal Alchemist. I'm very excited, friends. See you next chapter! xx**


	9. Home Sweet Home

I can do this. I've been wanting to move to Magnolia since the first time I came here. Finding somewhere to live shouldn't be too daunting. The guild hall is nice and all and I can always stay there for free, but I need somewhere to call my own. Although, I had a feeling that finding a house with Happy and Natsu tagging along may prove to be a little more difficult.

"So, Lucy," Happy asked, "What are you looking for?"

"I'm not too picky," I admitted, "Believe it or not. Anywhere with four walls and a roof would suit me fine. I'm not going to find my house, but I'm going to let my house find me."

"You should get somewhere huge!" Natsu suggested, "You got the kind of money to do that with, don't you?"

"Actually," I bit my lip, "When I left the mansion, I didn't take much for money with me. Just enough to keep myself alive. I figured that I'd get into the guild and start getting jobs right away, so no. I can't afford somewhere huge. Besides, if it's only going to be me, I won't need somewhere huge."

"Aww, come on, Lucy," Natsu groaned, "You could probably afford a mansion in Magnolia. Why would you settle for anything less?"

"I'm not settling!" I snapped. But in the same breath, I calmed myself down, "I'm sorry. It's just that I've dealt with that all my life. I've had luxury forced down my throat so much that it's suffocating. That's why I only want as much as I need. That way, I can have more money to spend at the magic shops and add to my key ring."

"That works, too," he backed off, "Hey! There's an apartment building up here with a vacancy. You want to try here?"

The building looked clean and structurally sound, "Sure. Why not?"

I grabbed the door and knocked on the office. This was happening. I'm finally getting my own place. A roof I put over my head all by myself. That is if this building was the place for me. It seems cute and cozy. All I had to do now was win over the building manager and the vacant apartment was as good as my own.

"Yes?" a man opened the door, "Can I help you?"

"Hi," I smiled sweetly, hoping to score some brownie points, "My name is Lucy and I'd like to see the vacant apartment please."

"Sure," the building manager got the key off the pegboard on the wall, "It's upstairs. Is that alright with you?"

"I get a better view," I shrugged, "That's no problem."

"You know," he admitted, leading us upstairs, "It's not often I have young couples in here. But this building doesn't allow pets."

"What?" Happy squeaked, "Is it because I'm a cat?"

"Couple?" I froze, butterflies rustling up in my stomach, "No, no, no. He's not my…We're not…"

"I'm sorry," he apologized, "My mistake."

"Natsu?" I checked behind me where he may or may not have turned to stone, "Happy, could you take care of him for me?"

"Aye," Happy started biting at him, "Come on, Natsu. Come back to us."

"By the way," I assured him, "The cat isn't mine either."

"That's good," the manager opened the door to the empty apartment, "Here we are. Feel free to look around at your leisure."

This place wasn't half bad. One bedroom. One bathroom. A cute little kitchen and living room. I liked it! Although, I had a feeling my deposit would never come back to me. Especially if Natsu and Happy were going to be over a lot. The more I think about it, the less practical an apartment seemed. Those two were too loud and I don't want my neighbors to hate me.

"I'm sorry," I returned the key, "I like the apartment, but I don't think it's the right fit for me."

"Are you sure?" he whined, "You don't want to look it over one more time?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "Trust me. I keep some pretty vocal company. I'm doing you a favor."

"Well," he shook my hand, "It was a pleasure meeting you, Lucy. Thanks for keeping my building nice and calm. Last thing I want is riff-raff. And I bet your not boyfriend is one of those rowdy Fairy Tail wizards. I think I saw the guild mark on his shoulder. Everyone says they're so great, but all they do is cause chaos wherever they go. I wouldn't be caught dead renting to a Fairy Tail wizard. Or any wizard really. We don't need that here."

"Oh…" I bit my tongue and started heading downstairs, "Come on, boys. We're out of here."

"Alright," Natsu came to again, "Are you ok, Luce? You seem off. Did you not get the apartment?"

"Don't want it," I shot a glare at the building manager, showing him the guild mark on my hand, "He wouldn't be caught dead renting to either one of us because we're Fairy Tail."

"And what's so bad about Fairy Tail wizard?" Natsu extended the same courtesy.

"You're…" he shook in his shoes, "You're both…?"

"That's right," I grinned, "You shouldn't be so quick to judge."

Just like that, Happy, Natsu, and I left the building and went back to the drawing board. What a shame. I liked that building, too. It's too bad the building manager is such a jerk, though. And it couldn't have been more undeserved. Was Fairy Tail really that notorious? I mean, I've seen firsthand what Natsu and Gray were capable of at the guild hall, but were they that bad elsewhere?

"Thanks, Lucy," Natsu chirped up, "For sticking up for the guild."

"It's my guild, too," I reminded him, "Why wouldn't I?"

"Only since this morning," Happy added.

"Yeah," I let out a heavy sigh, "But now, I have to find another place to live."

"Cheer up," Natsu comforted, "You'll find a place. Somewhere better than the apartment building. And if all else fails, there's always the guild hall."

"I know," I grumbled, "But I want my own place."

In that same second, there was a house for rent just over the bridge! All is not lost! I sprinted across the oak planks and walked inside. I love open houses! This place was cute, too. Other than a couple fighting in the corner, it looked like this place was mine for the taking! Awesome! Not their fight over the curtains, but my prospects for a new house!

This house was much nicer than the apartment. I'm sure the landlord wouldn't have a problem with me being a wizard (or any of my friends for that matter). At least I hope not. This house had two bedrooms and a huge bathroom. The bathtub was perfect! I could probably swim in it if I wanted to. Everything about this house was adorable. Two stories was a lot of house for just me, though. I could just treat the entire upstairs as my own study. All of my books, my keys, my trinkets from whatever job comes my way. I like that!

"Excuse me," I tapped the landlord on his shoulder, "How much is this place a month?"

"About a hundred thousand joule," he said with a smile, "For this area, it's practically giving it away."

"Thank you." Well, there goes my hopes and dreams of a giant study and a giant bathtub out the window. There's no way I'd be able to afford something like that monthly.

 _Thud._

Sounded like it came from upstairs. Come to think of it, I haven't seen a certain dragon slayer and his blue cat since we got in here. With extreme caution and my temper under control for the time being, I went upstairs to look for Natsu and Happy. To no surprise, I found them both face down on the hardwood floor.

"I'm not even going to ask," I rolled my eyes.

"Lucy!" Happy jumped into my arms, crying into my shoulder, "Natsu thought it was a good idea to…"

"No," I cut him off, "I said I wasn't going to ask. Let's just go before I have to pay a security deposit on a house I can't afford."

"What do you mean?" Natsu got up with a huge red mark on his forehead. I'm sure it was well-deserved.

"Just that," I dragged the two of them outside, "It's way too expensive. I can't afford a hundred thousand joule a month."

"Like I told you earlier," he threw an arm around me, "There's always the guild hall."

"We've been over this, Natsu," I groaned, "I'm not staying at the guild hall. I want my own house."

"Fine," Natsu immediately took his arm back, leaving me with a cold shoulder. That's twice today in our adventures in house hunting that he's mentioned me staying at the guild hall. Why would he be so adamant about that? Was it too much to ask to have a cozy place to call home?

I couldn't leave him like that, "That bump on your head looks like it hurts."

"It does."

"That's what you get for launching me off the bed upstairs, Natsu!" Happy whined, "Just because I can fly doesn't mean you should make me!"

"What did I say earlier?!" I snapped, "I didn't need to know how you two got hurt! I swear, I can't take you two anywhere, can I?"

"But you still do," Natsu pointed out, "What's that say about you?"

"That I have my occasional lapses in judgment," I grumbled under my breath, "At the risk of sounding stupid, do either one of you know of any other open houses in town?"

"Nope," he shook his rapidly bruising head, "Might as well head back to the guild hall then."

A break did sound like a good idea. The three of us needed a chance to let the dust settle and regroup a little. Who would've thought house hunting would be so stressful? One's too expensive, one won't rent to wizards and insulted the guild in the same breath. I just wanted somewhere outside the guild hall to call home. This was killing me.

"Welcome back, Lucy," Mirajane greeted me as I took a seat at the bar, "Are you alright? You look exhausted."

"I can't find anywhere to live in this town," I lamented, "Maybe this is a sign that I'm not meant to be here."

"You do know you're allowed to stay at the guild hall, right?" she reminded me.

"I know," I pouted, "Natsu said the same thing. Twice."

"What's that tell you?" Mirajane dug deeper, "Do you remember what I told you about before you joined the guild?"

I thought back to this morning when she told me about Natsu campaigning for me to join the guild in the first place, "What about it?"

"Ever think why Natsu would keep telling you that you can stay here?" she nudged me along, "At the guild hall? Where he is most of the time when he's not working a job?"

"Oh," it finally hit me, "He doesn't want to split up the team."

"Oh, Lucy," Cana joined us, "You're so close, yet so far away."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I got defensive.

"Cana," Mirajane settled her, "Play nice. She'll figure it out eventually. We can only hope that Natsu's patience holds out."

"You know it will," Cana assured, "It's obvious. But apparently, it's not too obvious."

"What are you two talking about?" I squeaked, "Can I be kept in the loop here?"

"Tell you what," Mirajane got a piece of paper and wrote down an address, "There's an open house a couple blocks from here. It's over at six. If you hurry, you'll make it in time. I'm sure you'll like it."

"Thanks!" I took the paper, "Hey, do you guys mind not telling Natsu and Happy about this place? On the off chance I do get it?"

"Our lips are sealed, kid," Cana promised, "Go on."

I slipped out of the guild hall without Natsu and Happy seeing and ran off to the address Mirajane was kind enough to give me. She wasn't joking. This place was precious! When I walked in, the vintage fixtures caught my eye. I loved the little stove in the kitchen and the gorgeous bathtub in the bathroom and the space for my library. I loved everything about this place. And only seventy thousand joule a month! Perfect! Absolutely perfect. This place was mine.

After closing the deal with the landlord, he told me I could move in as soon as I wanted to. Tomorrow morning, I had to go back and see Mirajane just to say thank you. I laid in my new bed and basked in the surreal serenity that washed over me. This was mine. This bed. This room. This house. It was mine. I got myself here and now, I'd get to establish a life for myself. You've come a long way from being locked away in a tower, Lucy. Before I get too comfortable, I should probably stop by the guild hall one last time anyway.

"Hey, Lucy!" Natsu stopped me at the door, "Where have you been? Happy and I were looking all over for you."

"I went for a walk," I covered, "What's up?"

"We got a job!" Happy chimed.

"Really?" That was quick. I thought that could wait until the morning, but ok. We got a job!

"We're leaving tomorrow morning," Natsu took charge, "So, you should probably get a good night's sleep."

"I'm sure I will," I assured, keeping the news of my new house to myself, "So, what's the job?"

"We're going monster hunting!" he grinned the way that only Natsu could. Wait a sec…

"Monster hunting?!" I freaked, "Why would we do that?"

"You didn't think guild life would be easy, did you?" Natsu teased, "But we can do it."

"Monster hunting, huh?" Gray stepped in, "Better be careful, Lucy. That job takes place in the mountains and I'm not sure if the walking torch would be such a good idea to take with you."

"Hey!" Natsu growled. Why, Gray? Why did you have to rile him up? Now, I have to get him to settle down again, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means between your body heat and your big mouth," Gray provoked, "You could cause an avalanche. It's too bad you don't know, say, an ice maker wizard to go along with you."

"Like I'd ask you!" Natsu's eyes burned angrily.

"Actually, Gray," I stepped between them before the guild hall had to be rebuilt, "I'm sure that if we do get stuck in an avalanche, Natsu can keep us both from freezing to death."

"HA!"

"Natsu," I hushed him, "If it was your fault we got stuck in the avalanche in the first place, you better be the one keeping us warm."

"I wouldn't let you freeze," he hugged me tight, "I just got you as my teammate. Why would I want you dying on me?"

"On that note," I slipped out of his embrace, "I'm going to go to bed. Are you two at risk for killing each other anymore?"

"No."

"No."

"Good," I smiled, "Night!"

I left the guild hall with the prospects of work in the morning. I'm still not sure how to feel about fighting monsters, but I had some celestial spirits hooked to my belt. I think I'll be fine. Not to mention, I had Natsu fighting alongside me. I've never seen him fight other than his minor squabbles with Gray, but something tells me he could.

Home sweet home. I could kick my feet up on my coffee table, get a snack, and go to bed. Or since I had my first official job as a Fairy Tail wizard tomorrow morning, I should skip the coffee table and the snack and go straight to bed. Snack in bed. Better idea. I had a bag of pretzels in my cabinet, but not much else. Once we come back, I should probably hit a market and buy some food. This is definitely going to be an adjustment. So much for having my meals brought to me. No, Lucy. You set out to do this on your own and you're going to see it through.

"Good night, house!" I shouted out to the void as I nestled into bed.

"Good night, Lucy!" the void shouted back. That's not supposed to happen.

I turned my lights back on and found unexpected guests on my couch, "NATSU, WHAT ARE YOU AND HAPPY DOING IN MY HOUSE?!"

"Why didn't you tell us you got a house today?" Natsu whined, "It's a nice place. Nicer than staying in the guild hall."

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

"Trying to get some sleep," Happy hummed, half asleep.

"We're a team," Natsu reminded me, "Besides, we haven't slept in different places for the past three months. Why start now?"

He made a point. Even when I was in the tower, Natsu was there. Every single night without fail. And we were a team now. As much as I wanted to kick them both out, I couldn't do it, "Alright. Just for tonight!"

"We'll see about that," he let out a big yawn, "Good night, Lucy."

"Good night," I crawled back into my bed and shut my eyes.

But sleep wasn't happening. An hour went by and I still wasn't sleeping. Something didn't feel quite right. Maybe my bed wasn't at the right angle? I pushed it to the other side of the room just under the window. Another hour went by. The moonlight wasn't helping. Maybe I wasn't laying on the right side…I knew exactly what was wrong. Something was missing. I didn't want to admit it, but there was definitely something missing.

"Hey, Natsu," I whispered, "Are you asleep?"

"No," he kept his voice down, "What is it?"

"Do you think you could do me a favor?" I bit the inside of my cheek.

In my next breath, my sheets suddenly got warmer. A pair of arms wrapped around me, "I thought you'd never ask."

"Actually," I jabbed, "I was looking for a glass of water. You're right next to the kitchen and I didn't want to get out of bed."

"I'm not going anywhere," Natsu kept his position, "If you want your water, get it yourself. Besides, your bed is a lot better than the couch."

"Just for tonight," I repeated.

"We'll see," he smiled, "Good night, Lucy."

"Good night, Natsu."

Not even ten minutes went by before I was finally asleep. Thank you, Natsu…

 **A/N: *NaLu intensifies* I need me a Natsu. Especially today. I was kind of a mess this morning and we're lucky this even got out. I woke up with some not good things as my waking thoughts. I know we're only into chapter nine, but I think I might take a little break next week. This could also be just a one day thing (at least I hope so), but don't be surprised if there's no chapter next week. I might take a hiatus for a while. So, if you guys could kind of stick with me here, it'd be great. See you next chapter. xx**


	10. End of the Line

Never was there a dull moment in my life anymore. Whether I was running a rescue mission in the mountains with Natsu and Happy or keeping Natsu and Gray from killing each other (Honestly, Erza does more of that than I do.) or even walking an actual mile in each other's shoes, I could never get used to it. And I don't think I could ever get tired of it. When I decided to start practicing magic, I did it in hopes of living a life of adventure and excitement, instead of the privileged life of mundane and monotony. And I've gotten exactly what I wanted since I've joined Fairy Tail.

When I joined, I had no clue what to expect. I've never been in a guild before. All I had to go on was each guild's reputation. I read about a few, but something in my gut told me that Fairy Tail would be the place for me. After hearing stories about Mom from Master Makarov about her early adventures in magic, I'd say it was a little more than gut instinct. Maybe fate had a hand in it, too.

And most of that fate was tied back to Natsu. Because of him, I had all of my new friends, my family. Living at the mansion never felt right to me. I'd never let the maids do things for me that I could do myself (and that infuriated him. They're getting paid to do this, Lucy. Let them do their job, Lucy. I'm not paying them to sit around and be your friend, Lucy. Nauseating.). My father didn't understand why I wanted to practice magic. From what I understand, Mom's experiences didn't differ much.

Something about living in the mansion just felt…wrong. Off. Even before the tower, I felt so trapped. I couldn't stand it. But every morning, when I wake up and see that big, beautiful guild hall…When I see that same sigil on the banner on the back of my hand, on Natsu's shoulder, on Gray's Chest, on Erza's arm, I knew I could stop looking. I had finally come home.

When I get there and find my home in complete ruin, that's when I start to panic. Where was everyone? When did this happen? Was anyone inside? Anyone left inside? My stomach ached and I thought I was about to throw up like Natsu the night we came here for the first time. My thoughts started to race. Right now, I need to find a boy and his cat. Natsu and Happy weren't at my house when I woke up. They never were. Natsu and Happy were always at the guild hall before me. Then again, it wouldn't surprise me if Natsu was half the reason the guild hall was in such rough shape. Erza wouldn't have allowed Natsu and Gray's petty, little skirmishes to get this out of hand.

"Lucy!" Good…One less thing to worry about. Both Natsu and Happy ran over to me.

"Hey," my stomach settled, "What happened to this place?"

"Never mind that right now," Natsu looked me over, "What about you? Are you alright?"

"I just got here," I told him, "Are you guys ok?"

"For the most part," he nodded.

"Master Makarov," I caught our guild master, "What happened? What's going on?"

"We were attacked," Master Makarov grumbled, still in just as much shock and denial as the rest of us.

"Do we have any idea who'd be responsible?" Natsu jumped down his throat. He had a fire in his eyes like none I had ever seen before.

"They were mercenaries," he shook, a bright blue vein sticking out of his forehead, "How dare they come to our house and show us such blatant disrespect? I hope they understand what kind of a war they've started. They should know better than to come and mess with Fairy Tail!"

"That's right!" Natsu clenched his fists a little tighter, ready for a fight.

"Master!" Erza ran over to us, "We found them!"

"Where were they?" Master Makarov worried, "Are they ok?"

"They're being taken to the hospital now," her voice broke, "The way they were found…It was horrible…"

"The way who was found?" I asked, getting even more nerved up.

"Levy, Jet, and Droy were left unaccounted for," Master Makarov explained, doing his best to covertly take care of Erza, "Take your time. Is there anything else you can tell me, Erza?"

"They had this symbol painted on them," Erza gave him a scrap of paper with something sketched on it, "It looks like a guild mark."

"It is a guild mark," he confirmed, clutching the drawing in his hands, "This attack wasn't just an attack. This is a warning shot. And poor little Levy and her team got caught in the crossfire."

"Which guild?" Natsu tried seeing the sigil.

"I know that seal," I caught a peek, "It's Phantom Lord, right?"

"That's right, Lucy," Master Makarov balled it up.

"What would Phantom Lord attack us for?" Gray joined in.

"I say we go to their guild hall," Natsu growled, ready to attack at any given moment, "We can ask them personally. I know I wouldn't mind introducing those jerks at Phantom Lord to my fist!"

"For once," Gray chimed in, "I couldn't agree with you more."

"Not a good idea," Master Makarov stopped them both.

"Why not?" Gray snapped, "Look what they've done! You said it yourself. They need to learn what happens when they mess with Fairy Tail!"

"In due time," he agreed, "But we don't know what we're up against. Running in without a plan would be a suicide mission."

"You've seen what they did to the guild hall!" Natsu pointed out, "They hurt Levy and Jet and Droy. We can't take that sitting down!"

"And we won't!" Master Makarov started getting angrier, "For now, we need to wait and see what their next move is. The first to attack will always be the first to fall."

"In the meantime," I tried to settle Natsu down, "What can we do?"

"All we can do is wait," he let out a heavy sigh, "Lucy, you need to take Natsu away from here before he gains any more steam."

"Yes, sir," I nodded.

"And take Gray with you," Master Makarov insisted, "They both need to cool off. Why not do it together?"

"I will," I grabbed Natsu with my left hand and Gray with my right and dragged them back to my house. In hindsight, I'm not so sure if that was such a good idea. If these two break into their usual patterns, I'd never see my security deposit again. The four of us sat in my living room and waited to hear anything from anyone.

"I can't do this!" Natsu pounded his fists into my coffee table, "We can't just sit idly by while Phantom Lord gets away with this!"

"But there's nothing we can do right now," Gray reminded him, "Master said we need to wait this out."

"No!" his tirade continued. I had visions of some of my furniture being broken. Seeing Natsu so angry put the worst pit in my stomach. I didn't think he even had such a side to him. I mean, I've seen him during one of his fights with Gray, but never this upset, "I can't watch any more people I care about get hurt!"

"That's why we're waiting," Gray was ready to throw him out the window. And despite the current circumstances, I was ready to knock their heads together.

"Some of us can't." There was no reasoning with him at this point. Natsu was doing whatever he thought was right. I couldn't blame him, though. I wish I had the courage (or the stupidity) to do whatever he had planned, but I still couldn't get over my initial shock from the guild hall. Natsu got his butt off my couch, "Come on."

"Where are we going?" I followed suit.

"Where else?" Natsu stood his ground, "We're going to go have a word with those cowards at Phantom Lord."

"Did you not hear what Master Makarov said?" Gray tried stopping him, but there was no point.

"Natsu," my front door swung open. If anyone could stop Natsu from doing something stupid better than me, it was her. Erza stood in the entrance, casting a slight chill in the air, "Did I hear you right? Are you about to storm Phantom Lord? On your own? Like an idiot?"

"Say whatever you want," Natsu's eyes burned even brighter than they did before, "Within those walls, we protect each other. Outside them, the fact remains. I'm not sitting around Lucy's house, waiting for Gramps to say we can go kick the snot out of them. And no one's going to stop me."

"Whoever said I was stopping you?" Erza had a little smirk on her face, "All I said was that it was stupid of you to go alone."

"I got Happy and Lucy."

"To take on Phantom Lord?" she pointed out, "Look, Natsu, you've done some very dumb things in the past, but this might be taking the cake. Phantom Lord isn't exactly full of weak wizards. We'll need to come up with a little bit of a plan."

"We?" Natsu perked up, "Does that mean you're in?"

"Like you said," Erza agreed, "They hurt people we care about."

"Were you hiding in my ducts?" I wondered.

"So, a little bit of justice is well deserved," she didn't even pay me any attention. Rude, "They didn't just hit close to home. They destroyed our home. They tarnished our pride and our reputation. It's time for us to go protect it."

"Absolutely!" Natsu beamed, coming out of his anger and going into serious determination.

"Gray?" Erza offered, requipping into some better armor, "Care to join us?"

"You both realize this is a suicide mission, right?" Gray grabbed his jacket.

"Yep," Natsu nodded.

"Lucy?" Erza extended the same invitation and warning, "You coming?"

I had to. Even if Natsu didn't already sign me up for it. His angry ranting had me fired up, too. That guild was all I had anymore. That was home to me. And someone had the audacity to come in and try to take it away from me? From all of us? Because I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks that. Not happening. I joined Fairy Tail for the excitement, but if it means protecting my new family…

"Not even a question," I caught Natsu's determination, "Let's pay Phantom Lord a visit."

And so, the five of us began our journey to Oak Town's countryside armed with nothing but our wits and our magic. Unfortunately, Oak Town was quite a distance on foot, so we had to take the train. Poor little Natsu had his face buried in a paper bag for a while. That is, until Erza was kind enough to clock him on the head and knock him out. It made for a quite ride to Oak Town, though. That's for sure. Natsu slept in Erza's lap while Happy slept in mine. And Gray stared out the window, letting his dark, brooding eyes glaze over.

This was it. Phantom Lord. We were really about to storm the same guild that tried to break us, that hurt Levy, Jet, and Droy, that tried to break our spirit by breaking our guild hall. Clearly, they've never met us. I'm sure the guild hall has been fixed so much because of various little sparring matches, there isn't much left to the original building anyway.

"Lucy?" Erza gave me a little nudge, "Are you alright? You don't have a motion sickness problem, too, do you?"

"No," I shook my head, "It's just…"

"What's wrong?" she asked, "You seemed so prepared for this back at your house."

"When I joined the guild," I sighed out, "I never thought it would come to this. Another guild waging war against Fairy Tail? What have we done to upset Phantom Lord?"

"We'll find out soon," Gray attempted to offer some comfort, "And when we do, we'll take back what's ours."

"To think," I chuckled under my breath, petting Happy's head, "If I never would've met Natsu and Happy, I probably would've joined Phantom Lord. My father was doing some business in Oak Town once and brought me along. I saw the guild hall and thought it looked so pretty. He told me that there were nothing but no good wizards in there. I never thought he'd be right."

"You know they're not all terrible, Lucy," Erza reassured me.

"Besides," Gray gave me a half-hearted smile, "Fairy Tail is a much better fit for you."

With my spirits lifted, our train pulled into the Oak Town station and Natsu woke up from his mini coma. I guess now was the time. Phantom Lord. The building I once admired left a sour taste in my mouth. Then again, the company I had at the time put a sour taste in my mouth, too. Now, we needed to have a little chat with the guild master that put out the hit on my family.

"Hey!" Natsu threw the doors open and led our charge, "Which one of you is the guild master?"

"Look at what we got here," a bigger guy with rivets in his face jumped down from the rafters, "The infamous Salamander in the flesh. I'm honored. Why do you want the guild master?"

"I want to know whose face I'm punching first!" Natsu growled, baring his teeth, ready to rip this guy's throat out.

"Master Jose is out for now," he kept teasing him, "He left me in charge. Boy, is he missing out…I got Fairy Tail's Salamander and Erza Scarlett in my guild hall. Even completed a mission without leaving. It's a good day."

"Be careful, Natsu," Erza settled him, "He's the leader of the Element Four…Gajeel. They're the strongest team Phantom Lord's got."

"Why'd you attack our guild?" Natsu brushed her off.

"Really?" Gajeel scoffed, "You hand delivered the reason. We want the girl."

"Erza?"

"Wow…" he stared blankly, running his hand back through his long, dark hair, "This is the legendary Salamander? I've never been so underwhelmed in my life. No. We don't want Erza. We want the little blonde chick."

"Not a chance." If Natsu didn't have his guard up before, it's definitely up now. Wait a second…

"Me?" I wondered, "What would you want with me?"

"The guy that hired us lost all his trust in the Fairy Tail guild," Gajeel went on, "He said they stole his treasure from him. We were told to get it back for him by any means necessary."

In that moment, I felt a knot in my stomach. It's not bad enough they attacked my friends and my new home, but it's all because of me? No. I knew exactly who they were working for. And Fairy Tail didn't betray him. Fairy Tail rescued me. And that just burns him inside. I never thought he'd ever go this far, though.

I've never wanted anything more than to be around the people that understood me. And my guild…my friends…my family…understood me better in the past three weeks than he ever did in my seventeen years of living. I couldn't even have that much. The taste of freedom was nice while it lasted. Because I wasn't going to let anyone else get hurt because of me.

"Alright," I submitted, "I'll go with you if you leave Fairy Tail alone."

"What?" Erza jumped, "Lucy, what was he talking about? What treasure?"

"It's me," I explained, "I'm the treasure. I know the man that hired them and I can't believe he did. Yet, somehow, I can completely. Do we have a deal?"

"You're not the one to be making deals here, princess," Gajeel chuckled to himself, "But I guess if we have you, we don't have much reason to be hanging around Magnolia, though. There was the one girl I had on the tree…She was kind of cute. I'll have to look her up once I bring you back."

"Lucy, no!" Natsu stopped me, "I can't let you do this."

"Please," I felt the lump swelling in my throat, "I have to."

"I broke you out once," he reminded me, "Am I going to have to do that again?"

"No," I shook my head, "Don't make this any harder than it has to be."

"Gajeel, right?" Natsu held me behind him, "If I fight you and win, will you forget you ever saw us today and leave our guild alone?"

"What's this?" Gajeel awed, "You're going to put your entire guild on the line for one girl?"

"No, he's not," I managed to wiggle out of his grasp, "Natsu, no. No one else gets hurt because of me. You and Happy and Gray and Erza are going to go back to the guild hall and I'm going to go back where I belong."

"You belong at the guild with us!" Natsu begged, "And you know it!"

"Lucy," Erza tried talking me out of it, "You don't have to do this."

"And you guys don't have to suffer anymore," I let out a little sob, "I shouldn't have left in the first place."

"While we're young, sweetheart," Gajeel grew more impatient, "Let's go."

"Ok…"

"Lucy, no!"

 **A/N: I know. This is up late. I know. I said I might not update this week. Well…Here we are. I'm a terrible workaholic, in case you didn't know. On the plus side, my depression wasn't nearly as bad today as what it was last week (even though my anxiety replaced it). I'm still a little out of it, but that's to be expected. To all of you that were so sweet and so loving last week, you get a gold star and a hug. Also a quick my boi, my dude, and all of you, really. My Snapchat name has been up on my profile since day one for anyone that's wanted it. My Snapstories are always so delightful. Mostly my dog, occasionally my face. Good times. Now, a little book clubbing? We've introduced Gajeel this week! Even when he was still a raging douche canoe, I loved Gajeel. He's my husband and yes, I'm willing to fight Levy for him. He's my two favorite Dramatical Murder characters, for those who know what I'm talking about, in one body. I can't say no to that. Also, Gajeel cuddles have gotten me down from many a panic attack, so…yeah…special place in my heart. Now, I have an outline to do for tomorrow and then, I'm going to bed, so I'll see you next chapter! xx**


	11. Nobody Knows

Here we are again. Back to square one. Under my father's thumb again. On my way back to my own prison. Every once in a while, I'd look over at Gajeel and it'd remind me of Natsu. He'd gag every time we'd turn a corner or hit a bump. I'm guessing Gajeel has the same motion sickness problem, too. If I didn't have him so much right now, I'd help him through it. I'm sure I could do the same things for him that I'd do for Natsu. But Gajeel is kind of taking me against my will, so let him suffer. As long as he doesn't throw up on my shoes, we won't have a problem.

As we got closer and closer to the mansion, I stared down at my guild mark. They were so willing to fight for me. Gray, Erza, Natsu...If I wouldn't have gone with Gajeel, all of Phantom Lord would've attacked the three of them. And who knows what would've happened then? I can't do it. I can't let them suffer for my sake. The guild hall was enough. Levy and her team was overkill. If I have any say in it, this stops now. I don't want to put my friends through any more. Thank you, Fairy Tail. It was great while it lasted. I'm going to miss you.

When I looked back out the window, our carriage was slowing down. This didn't look like the estate grounds. It wasn't until I turned around that I knew where we were. Back to the tower. Awesome. Just where I wanted to be. Couldn't he just bring me back to the mansion instead? At least there I would have access to the library and I could study up. Oh, no. We can't have that. Let's have Lucy bored out of her mind. Heaven forbid she's learning something and improving herself in ways she wants to. And not ways that he can use to impress potential clients.

"Hey, blondie," Gajeel managed to pull himself back together, "On your feet."

"I have a name," I growled.

"I don't know what it is," he shrugged, helping me out of the back, "I think I heard Salamander yelling it at me, but I can't remember what it is."

"Lucy," I glared through him, "My name is Lucy."

"Well, blondie," Gajeel spited me, bringing me back in my tower, "Make yourself at home. This time around, you're not leaving."

"I got out once," I pointed out, "I can do it again."

"I have to admit, princess," he praised, "I'm impressed with your resolve. But you have a new dragon watching over you. Your last guard gives the rest of us dragon slayers a bad name."

That explains the motion sickness, "Are you a dragon slayer, too?"

"I'm an iron dragon slayer," Gajeel scoffed, flexing a little bit, "Better than that little Fairy Tail weenie."

"Hey!" I jumped on the defensive, "You've never even seen Natsu's magic. Hopefully, you'll be able to see it up close and personal soon enough."

"You really think he's coming for you?" he looked me over, "That's cute."

"What do you mean?" I wondered, sitting down on my bed.

"You're in love with the little Salamander," Gajeel teased, "Aren't you, princess?"

"Dude, you really don't want to get into this."

"I think I do," he went on, "You are in love with the Salamander!"

"His name is Natsu!" I snapped, "I'm not in love with him! We're just friends and I know he's coming for me. Do you know how I know that?"

"How?"

"Because," I smirked, "He's stupid enough to do it. No matter what I'd tell him. Natsu's great at what he does, but as far as listening goes, he's got a problem."

"You would know, wouldn't you?"

"Would you shut up already?" I was ready to punch this guy, but I had a feeling it would only hurt me and it wasn't worth it.

"Just when I had you on the ropes," Gajeel dropped it, "Now, you're a wizard, too, aren't you?"

"That's right," I nodded, "What about it?"

"Your old man said you'd have a key ring on you," he stuck his hand out, "Give them up."

"Excuse me?" I squeaked, "No! My father has already stolen my key ring before. I'm not giving you my keys."

"Yes, you are," he assured, "Now, I was only told to bring you here. I was never told what condition you had to be in. If I have to beat your keys out of you, sweetheart, I will. After our fun at the Phantom Lord guild hall, I'm itching for a fight."

"Fine," I didn't want to, but I gave Gajeel my keys. I didn't have the energy to fight him, "Here."

"Smart girl," Gajeel pocketed my key ring, "I've always wondered what celestial gate keys tasted like. Probably like every other piece of scrap metal. Are these all of them?"

"Yes."

"Very smart girl," he approved, "If you'll excuse me, I'm starving. I'll be back in a little while. Try not to get into too much trouble while I'm gone."

"Where would I go?" I yelled after him. My only option was to jump fifty feet out the window.

Or so he thought. The last time my father saw my celestial gate keys, I only had four; Cancer, Aquarius, Taurus, and Lyra. Little did he know, I've picked one up from a job Natsu, Happy, and I worked a while back. And Gajeel didn't think to search me. Once he was out of eyeshot, I ran down the spiral staircase and to the very bottom of the tower. Just because the door was locked didn't mean I couldn't get out. I had one last trick up my sleeve. Or my skirt, in this case. I pulled a gold gate key out of my garter belt. Here goes nothing.

"Open!" I began, "Gate of the maiden, Virgo!"

That beautiful celestial light brightened the dark tower. And soon enough, I'd be tasting freedom again. Out of that light popped out a sweet little maid waiting for my orders, "You called for me, Mistress?"

"Do you think you could tunnel me out of here?" I requested.

"With pleasure," Virgo bowed to me and got to work. She didn't take very long to have a good tunnel going, "All finished, Mistress. May I go back to my gate?"

"Go ahead," I allowed, "Thank you."

Virgo went back to her gate and I started following the trail. Next time, I should tell her to put up some lights, too. Or at least some torches. It's times like these where I really started to miss Natsu. He'd be able to light some torches for me. To think Gajeel thought I was in love with him. How ridiculous. I just liked hanging around with him and fighting by his side and that he makes it easier to sleep at night by being in my bed. How Gajeel got love out of any of that will forever astound me.

Ah! A light! Finally! A light at the end of the tunnel! The first thing I'll do is hop the next train to Magnolia. Then, I'll hightail it back to my house and have a bath. That sounds absolutely heavenly right now. My bathtub was almost big enough to swim in. Any time jobs would leave me achy and tired, that bathtub would be my saving grace. And Natsu and Happy were kind enough to give me a little space for a while. Once I get out of the bath I'm about to take, I should let them know I'm ok. The whole guild is probably worried sick. Those two especially.

"Well, well," a familiar voice boomed at the end of my tunnel, "Trying to escape again, are we?"

If this isn't a metaphor for this entire adventure. Just as I find a light at the end of my tunnel, my father has to come in and ruin it all for me. Thanks for the warning, Virgo, "I have nothing to say to you."

"Such insolence," he scolded, gripping my wrist tight, "Why, Lucy?"

"Maybe it's the being forced back in the tower thing," I grumbled under my breath.

"No," Father growled, his eyes burning red, "Why did you run away again?"

"The fact that this has happened more than once should tell you all you need to know!" I escaped his grasp with a bright red mark around my wrist, "If you'd let me go off on my own once in a while, I wouldn't have to run! I just want to be free and you're standing in the way of that!"

"Because you're not ready to be on your own, Lucy!" he only grew angrier, "You're far too reckless and impulsive."

"What can I say?" I scoffed, "I'm a free spirit. Just like my mother before me."

My words stung in his heart. I could see it in his falling gaze. He knew I was right and it burned him inside. Good. Maybe now he'll understand and finally let me be. I could go back to the shattered remains of the guild hall and back to the life I was meant to live. It's a long shot, but it's worth a try.

"That's enough," his voice got quiet, "You're to stay here until I come back tomorrow morning. Do I make myself clear?"

"What's stopping me from leaving this time?" I asked, not letting up on him for a second. After what he had done to the guild, my father didn't deserve my mercy, "I could just run right now."

"He is," Father nodded toward the giant shadow towering over me.

"Hiya, sweetheart," Gajeel appeared out of nowhere, "Do you remember me?"

"You're hard to forget," I rolled my eyes, "And let me guess, you're not leaving my side, are you?"

"Nope."

"Joy."

"I'll be back tomorrow morning, Lucy," Father reiterated, "We can talk then."

"Whatever," I turned away from him and started heading back into the tower.

"Wait!" he stopped me.

"What now?" I groaned, "It's been a long day. I'm exhausted. Can't I just be left alone now?"

"There's just one more thing..."

I knew he wasn't here for a heartfelt goodbye hug, "What do you want?"

"Your new gate key," he stuck his hand out, "I can't let you keep that."

"I don't have any more," I lied, keeping Virgo a secret, "I gave them all to Gajeel."

"Then, how did you tunnel through stone without any tools and your fingernails are still perfectly clean?" he held his stance, "Give me the key or I'll have Gajeel get it for me."

"Fine," I gave Virgo's key up. Hopefully, she'd understand that I didn't want Gajeel's hands on me any more today. I'm sorry, guys. Stay safe.

"Thank you," Father boarded his carriage, "Tomorrow morning."

"I heard you the first time," I wasn't even going to see him off. I didn't want to. However, his plans for tomorrow morning had me curious. I wonder, "Hey, Gajeel."

"Yeah?" he sat off in the corner of my room, "What is it?"

"Do you know what my father has planned for tomorrow?" I crossed my fingers.

"Not a clue."

Can't say I didn't try. I just hope he didn't do anything stupid. As long as he leaves the rest of Fairy Tail alone. That's the only reason why I went with Gajeel so willingly. My friends have been through enough. And I just needed a little rest. By the looks of it, I wasn't the only one. I caught Gajeel nodding off a few times, too. He's probably waiting for me to go to sleep, so he can. I could give him that much. I had a feeling he wasn't pleasant when he's sleep deprived.

Tick...

Mmm...

Tick...

What the...? A little noise kept ticking at my window. Gajeel was still sound asleep. I'm guessing that being a heavy sleeper was another universal trait among dragon slayers. When Natsu was sleeping, sometimes I had to check for a pulse. Regardless, I got out of bed and investigated the noise. Whatever it was, I didn't have the energy to get angry at it. Too tired.

"Lucy!" a small, blue cat floated at my window and flew into my arms. I know we've had our differences in the past, but I've never been so glad to see him.

"Mmm..." Gajeel shifted a little in his chair, babbling in his sleep, "You smell nice, Lev..."

"Shh..." I hushed, holding him tight against my chest, "You have to be quiet, Happy. We can't wake him."

"Oh," Happy whispered, "Sorry. Wait, isn't that the guy from Phantom Lord? What's he doing here?"

"He's my new guard," I grumbled.

"Lucky you," he shared in my disdain.

"But what are you doing here?" I got us back on track, "How did you even find me?"

"Going to the tower was Natsu's idea," Happy explained, "He figured that your father was a creature of habit. Turns out he was right."

"Is Natsu with you?" I hoped.

"No," he shook his head, "He sent me to make sure you were ok. If you weren't here, you'd be at the Heartfilia Mansion. I was hoping you'd be at the mansion."

"Me, too," I sighed out, "Wait, why were you hoping I was at the mansion?"

"All that yummy fish from the party," Happy drooled, "I'm sure there's plenty more where that came from."

I couldn't help but laugh a little bit, "Why should I be surprised? The way to both you and Natsu's hearts are always through your stomachs. By the way, speaking of Natsu, how is he doing? I haven't been gone long, but I've been gone long enough."

"I can't really tell," he admitted, "I'm worried, too. I've never seen Natsu so focused on something before. He's been trying to figure out a rescue plan for you since you left. You know how he is. He wouldn't let you slip through his fingers that easily."

Gajeel's words flashed back into my mind. About me being in love with Natsu. By the way Happy was talking, there may be something from the other side. If we're being honest in my internal monologue here, I did have something in my heart for Natsu. I didn't want him hurt and I hated that I was the one putting him in this position. Once I get out of here, he'll be ok again. We'll be ok again. Everything will go back to the way it was meant to be.

"Please, Happy," my voice shook a little, "Keep an eye on him for me. I'm not there to take care of him and you know how Natsu can be."

"Stubborn as a mule," Happy understood, "But you don't need to worry, Lucy. He'll be ok. Right now, he's just getting fired up."

A little smile forced back my tears. Typical Natsu. I don't know why I should be surprised.

 **A/N: So, Lucy's back to rattling the tin cup against the bars of her cell again. Fantastic. Also, I love Gajeel in this chapter. I love Gajeel in any chapter, but this one in particular. I truly believe that he can bounce between the mean, rough and tumble bodyguard he's intended to be for Lucy and the overly pestilent older brother (given that he ends up joining the guild, I can see them getting that relationship. Especially with Levy and Lucy being best pals). Also, can we talk about Gajeel a little more? I know. I get excited when it comes to my Gajeel. You guys already know how I feel about Gajeel and what he means to me. Even when he's mentioning Levy in his sleep. I thought that was adorable. In the original cut, that wasn't in there, but I'm so happy I put that in there.**

 **Speaking of Happy, Happy's going to be making a few more appearances here as the go-between for Natsu and Lucy. Also, the one keeping Lucy's sanity in check. Especially when next chapter hits. She'll need him the most then. Keep Lucy's current attitude in mind. And Gajeel's current temperament. Everyone can be broken somehow. It's all about finding the right pressure points. See you next chapter. xx**


	12. Don't Kiss the Bride

**A/N: Hi there, cutie pies! Now. My dude. About our Snapchat situation. You say that you don't snap me much because you're so boring, yeah? (As I'm currently talking to you on Snapchat while writing this.) Well. There's a scene from an episode of Spongebob of all things that sums me up perfectly. It's called Doing Time. It's one of the most GIF'd things on Tumblr. Mostly for the "your life in snapshots" post. Only instead of sitting in traffic, it's me sitting up in bed, unable to sleep. Then, it's me slamming a Monster/Rockstar/energy drink of the day. Then, it's me sitting at my computer for a minimum of 12 hours with the occasional 10 minute break to take my furry monster outside. Unfortunately, there's no "Coming to bed, honey? Yes, dear." moment, but oh well. Just when you think your life is boring, there's mine. But that's what I have all of you for! You're my major social interaction/my daily validation and I love you all. So, to repay you for all your hard work, how about I shut up and let you enjoy today's chapter. Sound good?**

 **And about that Natsu/Gajeel action? I'm not quite sure how that's going to work here. It'll happen. That's for sure. But how it's going to happen might prove to be…interesting. _Uh. Ms. Olivier. We have a chapter to get to._ Shut up, hypothetical assistant. I know that. _Then, why are you still rambling in the AN?_ Do I pay you to make snarky remarks? _You don't pay me at all, ma'am._ I'm sorry. Occasionally, I have a Haru moment and I'm going to shut up now. _Because I suggested you to?_ No! Can I see you outside?**

If only Happy could've stayed last night. Then, maybe I would've been able to sleep last night. He may not have been Natsu, but the familiarity would've been nice. Yet here we are again. Another miserable morning in my miserable tower. When I woke up, my bed felt so cold. I missed my space heater. Such a cold bed, but I didn't want to move. I'll just stay here, bundled up in my quilt that still smelled like a smoldering wood fire.

"Hey, blondie," my new bodyguard gave my foot a shake, "Get up. Your old man's supposed to be here soon and I have to have you awake by the time he gets here."

"I told you," I grumbled into my pillows, "I have a name."

"Fine," Gajeel rolled his eyes, "Get up, Lucy. I don't want to deal with him any more than you do, but he's paying me, so..."

"Yeah, yeah," I managed to pull myself out of bed, "I've heard that before. How I'm just a paycheck."

"And who was that?" he wondered. All I wanted was my coffee and some quiet. Was that too much to ask for? Is Lucy not allowed nice things anymore?

"Don't worry about it," I shut him down, "Just know you're not the first."

"How revealing."

"Shut up," I ordered, letting my coffee scorch the back of my throat.

"Really, though," Gajeel didn't know when to stop, "Who else told you that you were just a paycheck?"

"I said don't worry about it!" Between my lack of sleep and my current situation, I wasn't afraid to drive my fist into his jaw. Although, I lacked the energy. Gajeel was a whole lot more of a morning person than my last guard was.

When it was still Natsu, Happy, and me, it'd be nothing for us to sleep in really late or if he finished a job early we'd take a nap in the middle of the afternoon. I don't think that boy ever saw an early morning in his life. Unless we had a job in the morning or he was sneaking out on one of those days where my father was coming earlier than he usually did. I missed those days.

"Hey," Gajeel gave me another little nudge, "Are you alright?"

"Why would you care?" I brushed him off, going into my bathroom.

"Don't say I never tried to be nice, princess!" he snapped.

Maybe I was a little harsh on him. On the guy that kidnapped me. Stockholm Syndrome already, Lucy? Come on. You're better than that. Instead of empathizing with him, I decided a shower would be a better idea. I felt gross after having someone watch me sleep all night and my father's impending arrival didn't exactly fill me with warm, fuzzy feelings. Hot water wouldn't change that, but it'd make me feel better for a while.

Happy place, Lucy. Happy place. I could do this. I'll be able to make it through my father's plans this morning. Hopefully, it won't be too awful. God only knows what he wanted to talk to me about. Probably where I've been for the last few months. Magnolia. Where I should be. In that place you hired Phantom Lord to destroy! No. Take it down a notch.

Maybe if you're a little more complacent with him, he'll realize you're meant to be back with the guild and let you go. Fat chance. I might have a sharp disdain for the man, but that's a tiger that will never change its stripes. And I might as well accept the fact that I'll more than likely be in this tower for the rest of my natural born life. I needed more coffee. Or therapy. Probably both.

"Hey, blondie," Gajeel's giant fist pounded on my bathroom door, "He's here. Whatever you're doing in there, hurry it up."

Joy. I took one last look in the mirror. Yikes. It's times like these where I wish I had my keyring. I could summon Cancer and look a little less broken. My face was all splotchy from the crying I've done in the past twelve hours and the dark circles under my eyes weren't helping. Cancer could be a miracle worker, but I'm not sure if he'd be able to fix this.

"I'm coming," I cracked the door, "How here is he?"

"He's at the bottom of the stairs."

"Alright," I came out of the bathroom and sat on my bed, waiting for my door to open.

"Lucy," Father joined us, "You're looking well."

"Really?" I scoffed, "Do I really? I look like a wizard that's just had her guild hall destroyed and is being held in a tower against her will by her father. Where do you figure I'm looking well?"

He grabbed a hold of my face, "Right next to that insolent little tone of yours. You're awfully brave for someone in your position. I have control of the Element Four and you're still mouthing off? I'm sure you'd hate for more misfortune to come to that little guild of yours you love so much. You've had your fun, Lucy. Now, it's time to come back to the real world. So, I'm going to ask you nicely. Are you done with that little rebellious streak of yours?"

I shook in his grasp. I never thought I'd be broken so easily, but it's so hard to fight him anymore. My body turned completely limp, "Yes, Father..."

"Good," he put me down gently, "Can we talk now?"

"Yes, sir," I don't know what I just saw in his eyes, but that monster wasn't my father.

"When we last spoke before you left," Father began, "I told you to choose a suitor, did I not?"

"Yes, sir."

"One of the men from the party," he went on, "He has control of a harbor in a very prominent town to the west. We've discussed running tracks through there. He has a son a little older than you. Congratulations, Lucy. You are officially engaged."

"I'm what?" I squeaked, "I'm marrying this guy's son?"

"Yes, you are," Father held his stance, "For the next three days, a wedding planner is going to come and discuss details with you. The sooner we can get this wedding taken care of, the smoother things will go."

"I'm not…!" He gave me a look that shook me to my core. Before I could go off on an angry tangent, I settled down and focused on the important things, "If I do this, will you make me a promise?"

"Depends on the promise."

"Promise me you'll leave my friends alone," I begged, hiding my disgust, "And everyone in Fairy Tail. Just leave them alone. Don't hurt them anymore."

"Fine," he promised, "I have no use for the wizards of Fairy Tail anymore, so why bother wasting my time? This is your one chance, Lucy. Did you have anyone else in mind from the party that you would prefer?"

"No."

"Salamander," Gajeel chimed in, totally uninvited.

"No one asked you!" Although I could've torn his throat out with my bare hands, I'm glad Gajeel gave me a little outlet for my pent-up anger before it turned into an ulcer.

"Who is this Salamander?" But now, I had to deal with the fallout, "Gajeel, wait outside."

"Alright," my new guard left us alone. Good.

"So," I wondered, hoping the change of topic would throw him off Natsu, "About my engagement. Is there going to be a party to celebrate?"

"After what happened at the last party?" Father scoffed, "Did you really think I'd fall for that again? Fool me once. No, Lucy. You're far too much of a flight risk. But you're going to go to the mansion for dinner tomorrow to meet your new fiancé. You two can discuss whatever plans you've made with the wedding planner. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to."

"Yes," I let him go, "Forgive me for keeping you."

"Lucy," he cradled my cheek in his palm, "You're my daughter and I love you. You could never keep me. And in the end, I'm doing this all for you."

I quivered under his touch and watched out the window as his carriage pulled away. Finally. I felt like I could breathe again. WHO DID HE THINK HE WAS, MARRYING ME OFF TO SOME GUY I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW? AND ALL FOR THE SAKE OF A BUSINESS TRANSACTION? DID HE FORGET SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY THAT I WAS HIS DAUGHTER? NOT EVEN THAT. THAT I WAS A HUMAN BEING AND NOT SOME COMMODITY THAT COULD BE BOUGHT AND SOLD AT HIS WILL? I couldn't believe him. I was hoping he'd let me do things on my own terms. Praying, even. But no. Because of the circumstances of my birth, I wasn't allowed to do that. Deep down, in the pit of my heart, I know that if Mom was still alive, she wouldn't let this happen. She would've been just as disgusted as I was.

"Hey, Lucy," Gajeel came back in. Great. Just what I needed. More of my bodyguard's delightful commentary about my life falling apart. Although, his usual steely demeanor was a little softer and empathetic.

"What now?" I eased up on him, "I'm not in the mood for your attitude today."

"Not giving you attitude," he clarified, "But you didn't deserve that. The thing with your dad. Call me a hopeless romantic, but arranged marriages don't sit well with me. I can't imagine what you're going through."

"Hold on," I kept my guard up, "How do I know you're not just saying that, so you'll have something to run off and tell my father?"

"No," Gajeel fell back into his chair, "I'm not as heartless as you think I am. If I wasn't on his payroll right now, I wouldn't have let him get away with that."

"Really?" I was still a little skeptical, but it'd be nice to have a friend right now.

"Yeah, really," he assured, "And really. You didn't deserve that."

"Then," I jumped back on the defensive, "What was the deal with you throwing Natsu to the wolves like that?"

"I knew you didn't have the guts to say it," Gajeel explained, "Your dad asked you if there was anyone else you wanted over the other guy, right?"

"Right." Although, I think I'd rather a single wet sock over the guy he picked. The sock would probably have more personality.

"That's why I said him," he cradled his face in the palm of his hand, "I'm pretty sure you'd rather him over anything. By the way he was ready to take a bullet for you at the guild hall, I'm sure he'd say the same for you."

I hated that Gajeel had me in a box like this. Even worse, we had the rest of the day together. It's not like I could go anywhere. My father called me a flight risk. I had to admit, though. He was right. I was hoping that engagement party would've panned out. If I could've gotten to the bathroom at the mansion, I could've snuck out the window. I'd have to make a stop in my father's office, though. My keys couldn't stay there.

"I'm not in love with Natsu," I reiterated. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss him.

"Whatever you have to tell yourself, princess."

There he was. There was the jerk that kidnapped me. The jerk my father hired to watch every move I made. I want the other guy back. He had a cat and a sweeter disposition. Granted, he could be a little bit of a bonehead and sometimes, when we were on jobs together, he was lucky his head was attached, but when it came down to it, Natsu was an incredible wizard and an even better friend. In times like these, I could use that. Luckily for me, I'd have the next best thing coming to me later that night.

"Lucy?" Happy whispered at my window, "Are you awake? Or alive?"

"Yeah," I got out of bed, making sure Gajeel was still sleeping, "Hi, Happy."

"Are you ok?" he looked me over, "You look awful. More than you usually do."

"Thanks," I grumbled, "Kick a girl when she's down."

"What's got you down?"

I let out a heavy, exasperated sigh, "I got engaged today."

"Congratulations!" Happy chimed, "But aren't people supposed to be…I don't know…More excited when they get engaged?"

"They are when it's not being forced on them," I groaned, "I still can't believe he's making me go through with this."

"We're working on it, Lucy," he promised.

"Work on it a little quicker," I demanded, "You got three days before my sham of a wedding."

"I don't see you kicking any ideas our way," Happy argued.

"I've got other things to worry about," I snapped, ready to dropkick this cat into the sun, "I'm meeting my fiancé tomorrow."

"You haven't even met him?"

"I might have once," I thought back, "That party that you and Natsu decided to gorge yourselves at."

"I miss that party," Happy let out a nostalgic sigh.

"Thanks, Happy," I threw myself on my bed, "Way to focus on what's important. When you're done, how about a distraction?"

"What'd you have in mind?"

"I need a favor," I bit my lip, an overwhelming ache bubbling in my heart, "Can you keep an eye on Natsu for me?"

"I already do," he swore, "But! Speaking of Natsu, I have something for you!"

"Another gate key?" I crossed my fingers, "Preferably one that can break me out of here? My father's already got Virgo and she was my ace in the hole."

"Not exactly," Happy pulled a folded piece of paper out of his backpack, "I come with a message! Natsu told me to tell you to read this when you're by yourself and things seem bleak."

"Thanks," I hid it under my pillow where Gajeel couldn't find it, "Leave it to Natsu to show up in the most unexpected ways."

"That's Natsu for you!" he beamed, "I really should be getting back. Are you going to be ok for now, Lucy?"

"Yeah," I did a quick assessment, "I should be fine. Physically speaking, anyway. You'll be back tomorrow, right?"

"Well, of course," Happy assured, "I'm sure you'll write something back for Natsu and I have to be the messenger."

"You're the best," I hugged him tight against my chest.

"I try," he nuzzled his face in my shoulder. And I did all I could to keep myself from crying. I knew that Happy and Natsu were trying their hardest, along with the rest of Fairy Tail. I just hope it's good enough, "Hang in there, Lucy. You'll be ok."

"Try to be anyway," I let him go, "Go. Take care of him."

"Aye!"

 _Snatch._

Gajeel woke up out of a dead sleep and grabbed a hold of Happy's leg, "What do you think you're doing here, cat?"

"Hey!" Happy writhed in his grip, "Let me go!"

"I'll ask again," Gajeel repeated, "What are you doing here?"

"Taking better care of Lucy than you!" Happy never was one to shy away from a fight. No wonder he got along with Natsu so well.

"You're Salamander's exceed, aren't you?" Gajeel kept his voice at a low rumble.

"I'm not answering anything!" Happy snapped, "Not after what you've done!"

"He is," I answered for him.

"Lucy!" he squeaked, "He's the enemy!"

"He's alright," I settled him, flashing a quick glance at Gajeel, "I still don't forgive him for what he's done to the guild, but the hall can be rebuilt. The guild may be standing shakily right now, but we're still standing. And when we get the momentum, I guarantee we'll hit the ground running. But for now, Gajeel is ok. Depending on one thing."

"And what's that?" Gajeel wondered, confused by my new sense of trust I've given him.

"How's Shadow Gear holding up?" I asked.

"Out of the hospital," Happy reported, "Levy's still a little wobbly, but she'll be fine."

"Good," Gajeel relaxed. And he's poking at Natsu and me? At least I can retaliate a little.

"Now," I brought it back, "What did you want, Gajeel?"

"I need you to get a message to the little pyro, cat," he demanded.

"Hold on," I stopped him, pointing at Happy, "What's his name?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Gajeel shrugged, "Anyway…"

"No," I cut him off, "What's his name?"

"I'm bad with names," he groaned, "What's that got to do with…?"

"You're going to learn," I put my foot down, "Who did you hurt from our guild? The girl on the tree. What's her name?"

"Levy."

"You remembered her name" I pointed out, "Now, who is the Salamander?"

"Natsu," Gajeel hid a little smirk, "Sometimes, I hear you whining it in your sleep."

"Aww, Lucy," Happy gushed, "You're dreaming about Natsu?"

"Gajeel," I blushed, "What is getting etched in this cat's grave?"

"Happy, I think," Gajeel assumed, a cheap laugh coming from his throat.

"Very good," I came down, "Now, ask him what you wanted."

"Could you deliver a message to Natsu for me?" he asked, not quite sure where the sudden manners came from. I could tell him, but if I did, he wouldn't learn anything.

"What?" Happy still wasn't giving him any leeway.

"Tell him to come get his girlfriend," Gajeel smiled at me, "She's kind of a pain. I'm sure she's alright in small doses, but having her around all the time is exhausting."

"Hey!" I squealed.

"Told you so," he giggled to himself, "You walked right into that."

"You should go, Happy," I insisted, glaring a hole through Gajeel, wanting so desperately to punch that smug grin off his face, "Tell Natsu I'm fine and fill him in on what's going on."

"Aye!" Happy threw himself into my shoulder, "We'll think of something, Lucy. You'll be back at the guild hall before you know it."

"Go," I sent him off, "Before I start crying. The only one here to take care of me is Gajeel and I don't see that working out well."

"Alright." And just like that, the little blue cat flew out my window.

I curled back up in bed and shut my eyes for a second, "Hey, Gajeel…"

"What?" Gajeel kicked his feet up on the foot of my bed, "Let me guess. You're worried about me telling your old man about Happy coming here, aren't you?"

"Yeah…"

"Don't worry, princess," he promised, "I won't tell him."

"Thank you," I wrapped myself up in my blanket, "Go ahead and go back to sleep."

"Glad I have your permission." Without another word, Gajeel shut his eyes and didn't take very long before he went back to his mumbling about Levy in his sleep. Now, if I remember correctly, there was a note burning under my pillow that I needed to read while I was by myself. Gajeel's sleeping, so I might as well be by myself. Alright, Natsu. Let's see what you have to say.

 _Dear Lucy,_

 _It's been a few days since you've been gone and the guild isn't the same without you. We've been holed up in the basement and we could really use the morale boost. You would've been perfect for that. With the short amount of time you were here, everyone seemed to get along a little better and smiled a little brighter. Even Gray and I didn't want to kill each other. Anyway, before I get so sappy, I just wanted to tell you to keep your head up. You're my job, right? Protect Lord Heartfilia's treasure? And my job's not done. I'll be there soon enough._

 _I miss you._

 _-Natsu_

 _P.S. Don't worry about me. Not until I get you out of that tower. Then, you can worry all you want._

Oh, Natsu…You know how to pull at a girl's heartstrings, don't you? I miss you, too. I miss the whole guild. I miss the guild hall. I miss waking up in my house in Magnolia with the view of the water out my front window. I miss you and Happy crashing in my living room. I just…Miss you. And I want to come home.

 **A/N: Do you understand now why I yelled at you? _Yes, Ms. Olivier._ After the incident at the aquarium and the one at the pet store and that one time we took him to the beach, he doesn't need the PTSD flashbacks. _Yes, Ms. Olivier. I've put Mr. Nanase to bed._ All of them? Did you take away the gun from the one that shot the Haru that could read? Did you take away tall Haru's stilts? And his four-wheeler keys? _Yes, ma'am. Main Mr. Nanase is cuddled up with his stuffed shark and he's sleeping soundly._ Alright. Did you get a hold of Easter Dave? _You mean, Master Makarov?_ SHUT UP, HYPOTHETICAL ASSISTANT! We're not supposed to be telling people about Easter Dave! He's always watching…Wait. When did you guys get here? Forget you heard anything! Hey, look! Bright colors!**

 **Would you look at that, kids? Lucy Heartfilia's getting married. Look at her, growing up so… _Uh…Ms. Olivier?_ Yes, hypothetical assistant? _Lucy's still relatively young. And her wedding is being forced._ I know. I'm the one that wrote it. Now, quit undermining me in front of the children. _It's just that…_ Go. Corner. Now. _Yes, ma'am. But could you change the newspaper? It's dirty from the last time._ Who's the one that used it? _Me._ If I put your head between two pieces of bread, what would I have? _An idiot sandwich._ That's right. Now, go to your corner. **

**All that aside, yes. Jude is in serious need of a Snickers. And I love how Gajeel has become kind of like a big brother. Sure, he's difficult, but in the end, he doesn't want to see Lucy get hurt. Especially the way her dad was treating her. Lucy doesn't deserve that. Right now, she deserves to be back at the guild with her friends and her Natsu and everything is ok again! I'm sorry. I have a lot of feelings. I'll just be over here working on a chapter for tomorrow. See you next chapter! xx**


	13. Planning for the Apocalypse

**A/N: Hi there, loveys. How are we doing this fine day? It's a Monday, so I'm assuming not too hot, but look on the bright side. We got this. This brief moment of content that we get to share together. I'm weirdly philosophical today. I don't know why, but just roll with it.**

 **Now, to my dude, yes. Believe it or not, underneath all the bitter and anger, Gajeel even has his limits. Let me love him, ok? I can't make him a complete jerk. He's a jerk with a heart of gold. He's got his own motivations for doing what he does and he's just going to wing it. Now, hold on…AY! HYPOTHETICAL ASSISTANT! YOU GOT FAN MAIL! _For…For me?_ Yes. _I…This is so unexpected…_ Way to go. You gave her hope. _I'm flattered. Thank you so much. When Ms. Olivier starts her YouTube channel, I'll be sure to…_ Hypothetical assistant…What do you think you're doing? _I just thought that since I had a fan, I might hope to make an appearance on your YouTube channel._ That's my decision to make. Whether or not you'll be there is still up in the air. Now, one more question. _No, Ms. Olivier. I don't have any grapes._ No, it's not that. _And I don't have any lemonade._ Not that either. Who said you could leave your corner? _You did. You called for me, ma'am._ And who said you could crack wise? _I never did._ You win this round…Go ahead and change your newspapers. _Yay!_ While you're changing your newspapers, how about we get into this week's chapter? _That sounds like a plan._**

Normally, I didn't want to be in the tower, but today would be even worse than any other day I've spent here. I'd take all of the days before Natsu and Happy got here on a loop for eternity than deal with this. I didn't want this wedding in the first place. The fact that my father was setting me up with a wedding planner wasn't going to change that. if he thought I was going to warm up to the idea, he would be sadly mistaken. I didn't even want to get out of bed today, let along deal with people. Even Gajeel was too much for me, but I'll have to muddle through.

"Lucy," Gajeel came into my room with a small blonde woman following behind him, "Your wedding planner's here."

"Thank you, Gajeel," I sat up on my bed.

"It's lovely to meet you, Ms. Heartfilia," she bowed to me, "My name is Coco. Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!"

"Yeah," I grumbled, "A real blessing."

"Well," Coco tried to keep things light, "Why don't we get started?"

"Sure," I got up for a cup of coffee. Even though I detest the fact she was here, it'd be rude if I didn't offer Coco some, "Do you want any while I'm pouring?"

"No, thank you," she turned me down. Like I was going to share anyway, "Now, I'm going to need a few things first. How did you and your fiancé meet?"

"We haven't," I sat down in my desk chair, already hating this, "This whole wedding is more or less a sham orchestrated by my father, so he can acquire a new business deal."

"Oh." It appears I've caught Coco off guard, "No matter. You're not the first arranged marriage I've dealt with and you probably won't be the last. Do you at least know his name?"

"No."

"Alright." Coco started grabbing folders out of her bag, "Have you given anything a thought yet?"

"I was told yesterday that I was getting married in three days," I sipped on my coffee, "I never thought about my wedding before that."

"Oh, come on," she gave me a nudge, making me want to dropkick her in the throat, "Every little girl has thought about her wedding day at least once in her life."

"I must be the exception."

"Really?" Coco gasped in complete shock, "Never?"

"Getting married was one of those things that was always on the backburner for me," I explained, trying to keep my voice at a normal level, "My dream was to become a wizard and see the world and help anyone I could along the way. At one time, I was a celestial wizard and a good one at that. But all because my father says no, I can't do that anymore. I have to get married to some guy I don't even know in three days just for his business. So, no. I've never thought about it."

Coco had no idea what to make of me. She caught me in a bad mood and her presence only made things worse. But that wasn't going to stop her. Coco had a sickening can-do attitude that the only thing I wanted for her was to throw her out the window. The sooner we could finish this torture, the better. After this, I was heading straight for my bathtub. God knows I'll need it.

"Then, I'll give us a jumping off point." Is the roof of the tower available? Because I call dibs. Coco pulled out some fabric swatches, "A lot of brides design their wedding around their dress. We can start there."

"Sure," I rolled my eyes. It's like I was venting to a brick wall. Why do I bother?

"Personally," Coco started, "I really like the traditional white, but a lot of my clients are opting for a champagne colored gown. With your eyes and your skin tone, I think you'd be able to pull off the champagne dress with some nice lace inlay quite well."

"I'd have you discuss this with my tailor," I brushed her off, "But I'd need his celestial gate key and I'm not allowed to have them on me anymore."

"So, is that a no on the champagne?" This chick really was that dense, wasn't she? I'd rather the brick wall at this point, "That's ok. What color would you want?"

"Black," I decided.

"If you don't mind me asking," Coco wondered, "Why would you want a black wedding dress? That seems more of a funeral color."

"On my wedding day," I told her, "I'll be mourning a lot of things. The loss of my dignity. My respect for my father. My hopes and dreams."

"But these are happy times!" I had to admit. She might not be as good as the brick wall, but her sunny optimism was unwavering. Gold star.

"Under any other circumstances," I agreed, "When it's not being forced down my throat."

"We can skip the dress for now," Coco shuffled nervously through her notes, "We'll come back to it. What about flowers? Floral arrangements can say a lot."

"Lilies are the tradition," I kept putting up a fight, "I remember there being a lot of white lilies around the mansion after I lost my mom."

"But…" she started to slip, "This is a wedding, not a funeral."

"It feels more like a funeral to me," I scoffed, kicking my feet up on my desk. A bead of sweat ran down Coco's face. Was this it? Did I finally push her to her breaking point? Because it was starting to look that way.

"That's it!" There was the crack I was hoping for, "Lucy Heartfilia, you are, by far, the most stubborn, insufferable client I've ever had! I can't do this! I quit!"

And just like that, Coco stormed off. Now, I could have the quiet afternoon I wanted. I laid back down on my bed and stared aimlessly at the ceiling. Because there was nothing better to do. And now, Coco had me thinking. I might have hated her and everything she stood for at this point, but I'd be lying if I didn't give my wedding a thought. If I could have it the way I wanted and without my father's interference.

Nighttime. On a night where all the stars would shine the brightest. A white dress that would reflect in the moonlight. Outside. Candles lining the aisle. Pink and white carnations. No wedding party. Just him and me. A small ceremony, but a big reception. And the flowers would change at the reception. Red and yellow tulips at the reception. More food that what we know what to do with. A big, beautiful cake. Devil's food. White chocolate frosting. Sugar flowers like the ones from the ceremony, so they're still there in spirit.

"Hey, princess," Gajeel broke me out of my headspace, "Don't you think you were a little harsh on the wedding planner? Don't get me wrong. She was giving me diabetes, too, but she's only doing her job. What makes her any different from me?"

"You're not nauseatingly sweet," I chuckled under my breath, "And you wouldn't be making me do this."

"Very true," he agreed, "But nonetheless. She's just doing her job. I'm sure if she understood the situation, she wouldn't do it."

"That's not going to stop her from taking my father's money," I turned very angry very quickly, "You were there. Her exact words were that I wasn't her first arranged marriage and I won't be her last. This whole affair is disgusting and people are screwed up."

"I don't know what to tell you, Lucy," Gajeel let out a heavy, exasperated sigh, "It's not going to kill you to give in a little."

"To make it easier for the ones that aren't suffering?" I glared a hole through him, "I don't think so."

"I don't get why you're so mad," he defended, "You're just getting married. You make it sound like it's the end of the world."

"You think it's the wedding that's got me angry?" I got quiet, "No, Gajeel. It's not that. It's the fact that I'm having my choices for my life taken away from me for someone else's gain. _THAT'S_ what's got me upset. The fact that I'm locking away in this tower because of my own personal choices for myself, that I'm being punished for chasing my dreams, the fact that I'm being forced to live someone else's life. _THAT'S_ what's got me upset. In the grand scheme of things, that wedding is just a blip. That little blip is the nail in my coffin, not my cause of death. Now, if you'll excuse me, before I have to deal with my father, I'm going to sit in my bathtub for a while. Do not come in. Do not speak to me. Let me be entirely by myself."

Gajeel wasn't going to stop me. He knew I was hurting and he had the decency to let me go. I just needed to be weightless for a while. Something to drown everything out. It still killed me that he was going through with this despite how miserable it's making me. No doubt, Coco would go back to him and complain about me. Let her. See if I care. I didn't have the energy to anymore. He's sucked that out of me.

These baths reminded me of the ones I'd take after a job. My little way of rewarding myself after a job well done. Enough to take the tension out of my aching muscles and bring me back to reality. When my reality was a little less bleak. I missed those days. After a while, I had fallen asleep in my bathtub and woke up in my bed, completely dressed and dried off. There was only one other person here besides me. Only one person could've done this. Unless I was sleepwalking, but I don't sleepwalk. Maybe one of the maids showed up? But none of them had the physical strength to lift me out of there.

"GAJEEL!" I squealed.

"What?" I wasn't the only one that nodded off for a bit, "What's your problem? Do you always wake up this cranky after a nap?"

"DID YOU TAKE ME OUT OF THE BATHTUB?!"

"Yeah," he wasn't even going to argue it, "You were about to slip underwater and I wasn't going to let you drown because of your own stupidity, so I got you out of the bathtub and got you dressed. It's not like I saw anything. Relax. I do have some morals, Lucy. Give me a little bit of credit."

Even though I still felt a little violated, I'm glad he thought to get me out of the water before I died by accidental drowning, "Thank you."

"What?" Gajeel perked up.

"Don't make me repeat myself," I smiled a little.

"Wow," he reciprocated, "That nap did you wonders. An hour ago, you wanted me stabbed. Now, you're dropping thank yous? Is it my birthday?"

"Shut up," I giggled, "I don't even know when your birthday is."

"Just another day," Gajeel shrugged, "I don't even know when it is anymore. But someone from the mansion just dropped by. Your old man's going to be here in an hour or so to get us."

"Yippee," I groaned, "There goes my good mood."

"And there's some bag hanging in the closet," he pointed, "A maid brought it in."

"Is the maid still here?" I asked, cracking the door.

"She left."

"Fantastic," I unzipped the garment bag on my closet door. At least it's an improvement over the last one. A drastic improvement. And white. Bright, snow white. My father's nothing without an overdose of irony, "Too bad I can't get Cancer in here."

"What do you mean?" Gajeel gave me a look.

"Cancer," I filled him in, "He's one of my celestial spirits. Also has an eye for fashion. But if I were to use my keys now, my father would know I did something to do with magic to make my dress better. He's probably learned from the last time. I'm not wearing white tonight."

"Don't you have any other clothes?"

"This is what I have to wear tonight," I pouted, catching sight of a sheer, light blue scarf hanging from the rod. I bet…Yeah. That sounds like a good idea, "Accessorizing is such a brilliant idea."

"Ok?" Gajeel just let me be while I got ready for this god-awful dinner that I'd not only have to sit through with my father, but with some random guy, too. On the plus side, though, I'd be back at the mansion. I'm sure I could flirt my way back to the library and snap up a few books for some light reading tonight. But I also have two days to get my father to change his mind.

While I let my hair fall over my shoulders and threw my dress on, I caught Gajeel humming something. I couldn't quite make it out, but it was a nice break in the usual silence. Deep down, it made me miss Lyra. Between her and Cancer, I would've been perfect in almost no time flat. Which got me thinking…

"Hey, Gajeel?"

"What?"

"Do you have my celestial keys?" I wondered.

"Nope."

Worth a shot. I could've at least had Lyra. I might not be able to use Cancer, but I could use Lyra in times like these. Gajeel casually went back to humming whatever it was he was humming. My keys are probably locked in my father's safe at the mansion. He may be more observant this time around, but that doesn't make him any less of a creature of habit. And punctual to a fault. I heard his carriage pull up and tied the blue scarf around my waist. After one last look in the mirror, I was ready for this.

"Hello, Lucy," he greeted me, "You look nice."

"Thank you," I showed him the broken little girl he wanted to see, "Can we go now?"

"Not quite," he sat down, "I need to have a word with you."

Should've seen this coming, "What is it?"

"I heard your wedding planner quit," he began, "Care to tell me why?"

"We had creative differences."

"Creative differences…" Father saw right through me, "You mean she was trying to plan a wedding while you were planning a funeral?"

"Exactly," I confirmed, "Creative differences."

"Lucy," he started getting angry again, "You need to play nice with your wedding planner. You can make it anything you want. Just not a funeral."

Could I make it not happen? That's the only way it would make me happy. But right now, he was in no mood for me, "Yes, Father. I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

"I only hope you behave a little better tonight," he let me go, "Promise me, Lucy, or there will be consequences."

All of a sudden, my knees got weaker, "What kind of consequences?"

"Gajeel," Father looked over my shoulder, "The Element Four. They're still holding their positions, am I correct?"

"Yeah," Gajeel confirmed, "Each corner of the guild hall is covered."

"What guild hall?" I thought the floor was about to cave in beneath me.

"The one that harbored a runaway." The one I was afraid of.

"You said the Element four was there?" Just when I thought I had someone on my side. I really did think I could trust him. Now, Gajeel wouldn't even look at me.

"That's right." That man truly is a monster, "Come along, Lucy. I'd hate for something to happen to those little degenerates in Magnolia. One wrong move from either side and it would not end pretty for anyone. You wouldn't want that to happen now, would you?"

He's holding Fairy Tail hostage and at gunpoint and they probably have no idea. All in the name of keeping me under his control. This was low and he knew it. All of this just to line his pockets with pieces of paper. It's such a shame what greed does to people. He's willing to sacrifice his daughter and innocent people for something as insignificant as money. In the end, I might actually feel sorry for him.

"No," I never wanted to see any of my friends hurt again. Their faces after the guild hall was enough for me.

"Shall we then?" he offered his arm to me. I pretended not to see it and started down the stairs. At least I could get a sadistic joy out of Gajeel's motion sickness. If only he didn't have a lid on it better than Natsu. Then, he'd be the one throwing up on my shoes. That was only once, though. Natsu still owed me a pair of shoes for that.

Once we got to the mansion, I thought I was going to be the one throwing up. Someone else's crest embellished the side of the carriage at the front door. Relax, Lucy. Don't let this get you worked up. You'll be fine. Since my father made it pretty clear I had no choice, I might as well try to like the guy. Although, I highly doubt I will. Regardless, let's rip this bandage off.

I missed the mansion anyway. At one time, this was the only home I knew. That is, until I found out what real home felt like. And I'm sure they're figuring out how to get me back right now. I could see it now. They're all in the basement of the old guild hall, alternating between attack strategies and fixing the place. They wouldn't leave me…Right?

When we got inside, we went straight for the dining room. Good. I'm starving to the point where I could easily have Natsu's voracious appetite and then some. Near the middle of the table, a black-haired man with the brightest green eyes stood up. He didn't look much older than me. However, he was just a passing glance.

It was the whole roasted pork in front of him that stole my attention and my heart a lot faster than he did. I'm going to tear into you so much and so quickly. It'll go against every etiquette lesson I've had since I was six, but I didn't care. I am going to destroy you, Mr. Pig. I would stalk you like my prey and when the moment was right, I'd pounce.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Lucy," my fiancé extended his hand to me. Although, if he didn't want it covered in drool, he should move it. It's kind of in the splash zone. He tried again to get my attention, "Um…Miss Lucy? Are you alright? Have you fallen ill?"

"Lucy," my father raised his voice, snapping me out of my pork induced trance.

"Yes," I took his hand, "Please forgive me. I'm very hungry and our chefs never disappoint. It's nice to meet you. My name is Lucy."

"I'm Paul," he introduced himself, "I've heard so much about you. Honestly, you're more beautiful in person."

"Thank you," I blushed, switching my throughs back to that pork taunting me. Eat me, Lucy. You know you want to. I do, pork. I do…

"Wow," Paul noticed the long, loving, lingering stares I've been giving to the table, "You really are hungry, aren't you?"

"I haven't eaten since breakfast," I explained, "And I've had a very long day."

"Here," he pulled out my chair for me, "If I keep my fiancée hungry, what kind of husband would that make me?"

Alright…I don't like that he keeps using that F word and that H word so casually like this is all normal, but he was ok. For now. This guy had to have some kind of skeletons in his closet somewhere. Although, I had to hand it to my father. As far as picking someone for me, he didn't do half bad. Paul was sweet and charming and attractive. Even after dinner, he insisted that I show him the library. Awesome! Light reading for later and we had a chance to be alone. As alone as I was allowed to be. To no surprise, Gajeel was following us everywhere. I could have a word with him once we get back to the tower. I'm ready to tear him a new one.

"Lucy," Paul asked, "What's your favorite kind of story?"

"Fictional or non-fiction?" I ran my fingers over the spines nicely aligned on the shelf.

"Either one."

"Fiction…" I thought it over for a minute or two, "I like stories with a lot of adventure, discovery, new places that no one else could even imagine. My old guard used to tell me some of the best adventure stories I've ever heard. Then again, most of his stories were true."

"You know," Paul wrapped his arms around me, "When you and I get married, we can settle in a beautiful house in the countryside. You can have a library three times the size of this one. And you can fill it with all the adventure novels you could ever dream of."

Ok. This guy was making a case for himself, "It wouldn't be all adventure books. I do like some variety."

"What other kinds of books would you want?" he wondered.

"Well," I took a bit of a leap, "How do you feel about magic?"

"I think people rely on it too much," Paul scoffed, "Wizards only cause trouble and chaos wherever they go. Especially those who are hardly off their training wheels. They're nothing but glorified thugs with a little bit of showmanship, if you ask me."

Ouch. My pride. I knew he was too good to be true. I hid my left hand from him, "What makes you say that?"

"They don't have to do anything," he went on, "They can just use their magic and hardly lift a finger. In the wrong hands, that can cause serious damage. I was in Magnolia one day for some light traveling and two wizards from the guild there were fighting in the street. They wiped out four different buildings and tore the road to shreds. Things were on fire. Things were frozen. Things were on fire and frozen. And what happened? Because of their fight, the people had to suffer."

"But I'm sure the wizards you're talking about cleaned it up and took care of everything." Gray and Natsu really needed to learn to keep their tempers under control. And I know for a fact that Master Makarov wouldn't have let that go.

"I don't understand why people say magic is so great," Paul grumbled, "If those two didn't have magic, I doubt they could withstand an actual, physical fight."

Clearly, someone that hasn't met Gray and Natsu before, "You don't know that."

"I could probably take them both without their magic." There it was. That skeleton in the closet. Paul cradled my cheek in the palm of his hand, "But don't you worry, my princess. When we get our beautiful house in the countryside, I promise I'll keep you far away from that riffraff. You won't have to worry."

If I could, I'd be right beside that riffraff. Gray and Natsu don't fight around me. Petty arguments, but full on battle? No. Neither one of them wanted to risk me getting hurt, so they put the testosterone away. Between the risk of me getting hurt and the risk of them getting hurt because of Erza, I'm not sure what was more of a deterrent. Were wizards really that notorious?

Later that night, I went back to the tower to throw myself into my books and distract myself from the dumpster fire burning around me. Honestly, I'd rather be in the dumpster fire than anything else. I had to marry that. He hated wizards, yet he was instantly smitten with me. Something tells me my father left out a few details about me and what I come from. I could only imagine. Lucy Heartfilia, Fairy Tail wizard. Daughter of Jude. Daughter of Layla, who just happened to be a celestial wizard, who happened to pass that down to her daughter. And I know that Fairy Tail's a little rough around the edges, but to write them off like that? They're one of the top guilds in Fiore! Speaking of…

"Gajeel," I kept my voice low, "I need to have a word with you."

"Let me guess," he kicked his feet up on the foot of my bed, "It's the current position of the Element Four."

"How could you?" I glared a hole through him, "I thought you were on my side in all this."

"That's your fault, princess," Gajeel blew me off, "Not mine."

"I thought you actually cared about something other than yourself," I scoffed, balling up on my bed.

"They have orders not to do anything," he settled me, "Right now, they're just taking a little vacation in Magnolia. Before you go to sleep, maybe you should think about writing Salamander back. Isn't his exceed supposed to be coming around sometime soon?"

"What are their names?" I swear, he's just pushing my buttons today, "Try that again."

"Before you go to sleep," Gajeel corrected himself, "You should write Natsu back, so Happy has something to bring back to him. Let him know you're ok."

"Who said I was ok?" I growled, "Does this look like ok to you?"

"Go write Natsu…"

He made an excellent suggestion. At least I could tell him the Element Four isn't entirely off their backs. I don't think Gajeel's going to check what I have to tell him. Although I wanted to call him a few colorful things, I won't. He's not worth it. Besides, I had more important things to tell him aside from Gajeel betraying my trust.

 _Dear Natsu,_

 _To say I'm doing well wouldn't exactly be a lie, but it wouldn't be a truth either. I've been told I have to get married in a couple of days, so please. For the sake of my sanity, whatever you and the guild have planned, make it fast. I don't want to have to marry this guy. He's not too keen on wizards and he's seen you and Gray fighting before. Apparently, he didn't like it. And he has this vision of the two of us moving off to the country. I don't see how this prison would be any different than that one. Just a different cellmate, I guess. I can't do that, Natsu. I don't want to._

 _But when you do come for me, be careful. Gajeel's got the Element Four posted at the guild hall. I don't even want you guys there anymore. Go to my house. There's plenty of room and it's a whole lot safer than the guild hall. Don't leave all at once. A few at a time. Just don't trash the place. That's all I ask. And if you raid my fridge, feel free to fill it back up. Although, there's a yogurt in the back that you may want to throw out._

 _I can't say that being stuck in the tower was pleasant, but my old guard was a lot better than my new one. I miss you, Natsu. Please hurry._

 _-Lucy_

I folded it neatly and stuck it in a small envelope. Just as I finished licking the seal, I heard a tapping at my window. Since he owed me anyway, "Gajeel, can you let Happy in please?"

"Yeah," Gajeel got up and opened the window.

"About time!" Happy squeaked, "I've been knocking at the window for ten minutes."

"Hi, Happy," I pulled him down to my lap.

"Lucy," he curled into my shoulder, "How are things?"

"Horrible."

"Why horrible?"

"I met my fiancé tonight," I grumbled, "He's delightful. Aside from his hatred of wizards. Other than that, he was almost perfect. It's scary."

"He hates wizards," Happy thought it over, "But he likes you?"

"He didn't know I was a wizard," I clarified, "I don't know. This is a mess that neither one of us deserve to get caught up in."

"He's a weenie anyway," Gajeel chimed in, "You can do better, Lucy."

"Thank you, Gajeel," I rolled my eyes, but in the same breath, he caught my attention, "Did you just call me Lucy?"

"That's your name, right?"

"Yeah," I was still skeptical, "But Lucy, not Blondie, sweetheart, princess?"

"Let's just say," Gajeel hummed, "You think you have me figured out, but you got me all wrong."

"Anyway," Happy pried, "Is this guy really that bad?"

"Oh yeah," I nodded, "The way he was so quick to judge bothered me. Oh! By the way!"

"Lucy!" Happy jumped, "Don't scare me like that!"

"Sorry," I gave him the envelope, "Do you think you could bring this to Natsu for me? It's really important."

"Professing your love yet?" There was regularly scheduled Gajeel. He had me worried for a second.

"No!" I snapped, "Please, Happy? Will you bring this to Natsu?"

"Of course," Happy pouted, "I've been demoted to a carrier pigeon…"

"No," I tried to offer a little comfort, "Think of it as being…a delivery boy. Like you're taking him pizza."

"Pizza sounds really good…"

"Happy!" I brought him back, "Focus."

"Yeah," Happy shook it off, "I'll take this to Natsu. Just be careful, Lucy. Try not to kill this guy."

"Thank you," I rubbed my eyes, "Now, I've had an excruciatingly long day. I'm going to go to bed."

"Ok," he sat on the windowsill, "Good night, Lucy. Just to make you feel better, I checked on Natsu before I left. He's alright."

"That's good to hear," I curled up under my blankets, "Thank you, Happy. I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

"Of course," Happy flew out the window and left me with Gajeel, humming in the corner. Whatever he picked to hum this time was oddly relaxing. Just enough to get me to go to sleep. When I shut my eyes, I didn't anticipate this…

It was my wedding day. The snow-white dress, the candlelit aisle, the flowers, the whole nine. Everything was absolutely perfect right down to the star alignment and a full moon. But I knew who was waiting for me. I didn't want to marry Paul, but I also wanted my friends to stay safe. As soon as the music started, I did exactly what was expected of me. I found my way to the end. A knot started forming in my stomach and I thought I was going to throw up again.

"Paul…" I spoke softly, "I can't marry you. I don't want to."

"Why not?" his voice sounded muffled.

"This isn't right," I mumbled to myself, "I don't want to get married. I'm not my father's daughter. I'm a wizard like my mother before me. And I refuse to be someone's acquisition. I'm sorry, but I'm calling off this wedding."

"Oh, come on, Lucy…" That wasn't Paul, "You're just mad that it's the wrong guy. You'd rather it was someone else. Like me."

One lone finger lifted my veil over my head and sure enough, on the other side was that big, dorky grin that could only come from one person, "Natsu…"

"Because," he pulled me tight against his chest, "You know I'd never make you go through this. Come on…Let's go home."

I sprung up out of bed and made a beeline for my bathroom. I wasn't sure whether to puke, to cry, or a healthy mixture of both. Gajeel woke up out of a dead sleep, "Lucy? You alright?"

"Yeah…" my voice broke. All I knew was that I didn't want to wake up…

 **A/N: Good gravy, this chapter's long. Honestly, I was thinking about breaking it up before Lucy's dream and giving that its own chapter, but I couldn't keep that to myself. You needed to know about it. And you don't deserve the rug pulled out from under you like I do with all my other dream sequence chapters. BUT! I don't know…Question, though. How are we feeling about Paul? Are we liking Paul? Are we hating Paul? Do we want Paul to be set on fire? Where do we put Paul on a scale from one to ten? On that same scale, how are we feeling about Gajeel? He's done some pretty despicable things this chapter…Also, on a scale from one to yes, how in love with Natsu do you think Lucy is at this point? Because we got Happy on delivery detail and their notes to each other are so cute. They make me so weirdly happy. And by the way, this is going to sound weird, but do any of you know what flowers mean?**

 **I bet that some of you didn't even know that different flowers meant different things. Like a lotus blossom. Lotus blossoms typically mean some sort of enlightenment. That's why they're heavy symbols in Buddhism. That also depends on whatever color they happen to be. Because not only do the flowers themselves mean something, but the color can change that meaning, too. Like carnations. Carnations mean love, but white ones mean a pure love and innocence. Pink ones say something along the lines of, 'I'll never forget you'. And lilies can be a symbol meaning mother. Red tulips mean love, but yellow ones are like saying 'there's sunshine in your smile'. Now, feel free to take what we've learned and apply it to anything you can think of.**

 **Now, I'm going to get a jumpstart on the Zelda update for tomorrow, if that's alright with you. It's late and this chapter should've went up an hour ago. And with Lucy's wedding coming up, there's a chance I may be ending this story soon. Which is weird. It feels like I just started it. Anyway, see you next chapter! xx**


	14. Stay of Execution

I'm going on record right now. I can't stand wedding planners. None of the ones I had forced down my throat today would even listen to me. I guess word got around after the last one. One of them kept calling me Lori instead of Lucy. One of them suggested in lieu of flowers, we use herbs in my bouquet. Another said my cake should be lemon. Who, in their right mind, would want a lemon cake as their wedding cake? Someone I wouldn't want to meet and someone that is not to be trusted. At this point, I just wanted all of this to be over. In fourteen short hours, I'll be married off to a wizard hating tycoon just like my father.

Although, the picture Paul was painting for me in the library did sound nice. A big house in the country. Maybe somewhere overlooking the water. A library bigger than the one at the mansion. Maybe we could make this work. I'm sure if I tried a little, I could get Paul to come around on his opinions about wizards. I could go back to practicing my magic in my free time. This might actually work.

I'd have a better chance of my father changing his mind and calling off this ridiculous mess…

Wasn't the night before the wedding supposed to be fun? This was just miserable. Nothing but my book, my guard, and me. It was too early in the night for Happy to be here. Awesome. The one fun part about this whole ordeal and my father manages to take that away from me, too. I don't know why I'd be surprised. Joy.

"What's with you?" Gajeel noticed, "You're deader inside than usual."

"Gee," I scoffed, "Thanks, Gajeel."

"Seriously," he sat on my bed, "What's the problem?"

"You had to ask?" I grumbled into my pillows, "I'm getting married in the morning to a man I don't love with no way out of it and you expect me to be ok. I don't even get cake tonight."

Gajeel let out a heavy sigh of exasperation, "Come on."

"What?" I looked over my shoulder.

"On your feet," he demanded, "Let's go!"

"Where are we going?" I got up, not sure what was going on.

"Out," Gjeel led me downstairs, "I'm not putting up with this all night."

"With what?"

"You!" he shouted, "I'm not dealing with you moping around!"

"Can you blame me?" I watched as he unlocked the tower door. Wait, what?

"No," Gajeel agreed, "But that doesn't mean I have to put up with it. This is how we're going to make the best of a bad situation."

"Wait a second," I caught my breath, "We're leaving the tower?"

"For a while," he nodded, "Just don't tell your old man about this."

"I won't." He didn't have to tell me twice. As long as I was getting outside, I don't care where we go.

Nestled between the tower and the train station was a sleepy little village called Meadowsweet. Not much to it except a small market and a tavern. I didn't expect it to be a bustling metropolis, but still. If need be, I guess it's a place to rest for the night. Why would Gajeel bring me here? And he's actually being a lot more pleasant since we left the tower. Then again, I could totally understand his cabin fever.

When we walked into the tavern, it was nothing but big, muscly men looking at little old me like I was a meal. But then, they saw who I was with. Right now, our relationship may be on shaky ground, but I know Gajeel wouldn't let any of them near me. It was enough for them to leave me alone, so that's all that matters. The two of us took a seat at the bar.

"Whiskey for me, merlot for her," Gajeel waved down the bartender.

"Uh, Gajeel," I stared into my glass, "I don't drink."

"Lucy," he held his face in his hand, "You're getting married tomorrow. You don't even like the guy. You've been through more than what you deserve in the past six months. One drink, and wine at that, isn't going to kill you. Go ahead. That's why I told you not to tell your dad. I'm not even supposed to take you out of the tower or I don't get paid."

"Thanks for risking your paycheck," I still wasn't sure about the liquid in front of me, "But why'd you get me wine?"

"You want to try mine?" Gajeel offered, giving me his glass.

"Sure," I took a drink and nearly spat it back out, "That's yucky. How do you drink that?"

"Just like I'd drink anything else," he chuckled a little, "I didn't think you'd be able to handle whiskey. That's why I got you wine. And it's sweet, too."

"Anything's better than that," I slammed as much wine as I could to get that horrible taste out of my mouth. Wait…Hold on, "This isn't bad."

"What did I tell you?" Gajeel smirked, "I know you better than what you think. Prissy types usually go for white wines, but you're not the average prissy type."

"I'm not the prissy type at all!" I snapped.

"Alright, alright," he apologized, "Settle down, Lucy. You want another glass? You took care of your first one pretty quick."

"If it's alright," I gave him my empty glass. This is going to be an interesting night, isn't it? Better than what could've been. At least I'm out of the tower.

"You know, princess," Gajeel ordered me another glass, "You really do deserve better than that Paul guy."

"Thank you," I propped my head up on my arm, "So, are you still on my father's side in all of this? The wedding, the tower?"

"I'm on my side," he decided, "The whole deal with you and your dad? That's between you. But as far we go, don't be so quick to judge. You were just whining about Paul doing that."

"I'm sorry," I bit my lip, "Hey, Gajeel…"

"What?"

"Don't I deserve a say in all this, though?" I savored my second glass, "I'm Theo ne getting married, but everyone else is calling the shots."

"Then, call the shots," Gajeel insisted, "Take care. Tomorrow, just say no."

"It's not that simple."

"Why not?" he asked, "You're the one complicating things, Lucy. You know what you want. You've known since the beginning."

"I want to practice magic," I grumbled, "But I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"I don't have any keys," I sipped on my wine, "I'm a celestial wizard. That's where my magic comes from."

"Well," Gajeel hummed, digging in his pocket, "I was saving this for a rainy day, but here. I got a wedding present for you."

"What?" I perked up. He pulled a shiny silver key out of his pocket and I swear, my heart stopped, "Is that what I think it is?"

"Take it, don't take it," he nudged it toward me, "It's totally up to you."

"Thank you!" I beamed, graciously accepting that key, "I haven't been able to practice my magic in ages!"

"Not since you tried tunneling out," Gajeel remembered, "I went to a shop while you were taking a nap the other day and thought you'd want something like this. Especially after what you went through at dinner."

"Gajeel," I swallowed the lump in my throat, "This really is great."

"Then, quit yammering on about it," he demanded, "And show me what I gave you."

"Ok," I looked over the key. I remember seeing the symbol on the key before. It pays off to steal a few books from the library once in a while, "Let's do this outside. I don't want to draw any attention to us."

"You're the only girl in here," Gajeel pointed out, helping me down from the barstool, "I say you have plenty of attention already."

"I don't need to give them a show, too," I stumbled a few steps, a little dizzier than normal. I could still do this.

"Come on, lightweight," he grabbed the door for me and the two of us went behind the tavern.

"Alright," I prepared my stance. It felt so good to do that again, "I call upon thee…Open, gate of the Canis Minor, Nikora!"

Out of the bright light on the ground popped out a little snowman! My heart! He was so cute! Immediately, I scooped him up in my arms, squeezing him tight, while Gajeel looked on, confused as to what just happened, "Is that it?"

"What do you mean, is that it?" I awed, "You got a silver key. It's the gold keys that are really good for fighting. Some of the silver keys are weaker spirits, so some celestial wizards summon them and keep them as pets. Probably like this little guy. I'm going to call you Plue. Let's make a contract, shall we?"

Plue squeaked in agreement. Just when I think he can't get any cuter! All while Gajeel still couldn't make sense of things, "Seriously? That's it?"

"You're going to make him feel self-conscious," I scolded him, "So, are you free Mondays?"

Plue shook his head.

"Tuesdays?"

Plue nodded.

"Wednesdays?"

Plue nodded.

"Thursdays?"

Plue nodded.

"Lucy," Gajeel sped me up, "While we're young."

"Any other days?" I asked. Plue shook his head, "Alright. Looks like we're all done then."

"That was riveting," he rolled his eyes.

"And that was rude," I glared at him, "Apologize."

"Alright," Gajeel winced, petting Plue's head, "I'm sorry."

"He's fine," I smiled, getting dizzy again, "If it's alright with you, though, I think we should start heading back to the tower. I'm getting tired."

"Sure," he steadied me, "You feeling ok?"

"Just tired," I used my guard as a crutch, "Can we just go back to the guild hall?"

"Sorry, princess," Gajeel giggled at my expense, "I respect you for trying, but it's not happening."

"Can't fault me for trying."

And so, our night came to an end and we had to wave goodbye to our new friends. I wanted to go to bed, though. Tomorrow was going to be a long day and everything in me was dreading it. At least I had Plue. But unfortunately, he couldn't stick around much longer. I wanted a bath, but I'm too tired. Right now, my bed and my blankets would be just fine. Gajeel was even kind enough to carry me up the stairs and put me in bed.

"This was fun, Lucy," he admitted, "Think you can do what needs to be done tomorrow?"

"Maybe," I let out a heavy sigh, "I don't know."

Tap, tap, tap.

"Hey," Gajeel went to the window, cracking it open, "Happy's here."

"Where have you been?" Happy squeaked, flying in, "I've been sitting at your window for half an hour!"

"Gajeel took me to Meadowsweet," I curled up in my bed, "And now, I'm sleepy. We were having a moment."

"We weren't having a moment," Gajeel chimed in.

"We were totally having a moment," I jabbed, "So, Happy, what's going on with the guild?"

"I have another letter from Natsu," Happy pulled out a small envelope and dropped it on my bed, "We can take care of things tomorrow."

"You better hurry," I warned, "The wedding starts at ten o'clock tomorrow morning."

"We'll try, Lucy," he cuddled into my shoulder, "You'll be back at the guild hall in no time."

"Once it's rebuilt," I felt my eyelids grow heavier. No, Lucy. Don't fall asleep. Stay up and read Natsu's letter once Happy leaves.

"Can I just stay here?" Happy asked, catching my sleepiness.

"Sorry," I shot him down, "You don't need to be caught up here."

"Fine," he pouted, "I'll just be going then. Just…Hang in there, Lucy. Tomorrow morning."

"Ok," I hugged him tight, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Happy flew off and left me with an envelope. I rolled over and broke the seal on it. Might as well rip this bandage off. Although, notes from Natsu never failed to make me smile. Besides, it might be just what I need to help me go to sleep. I mean, despite me already being tired, this letter is a hug in a few short words. Natsu's scratchy handwriting was practically fine art by now.

 _Dear Lucy,_

 _With any amount of luck, you won't be in that tower for much longer. Happy and I have worked out a pretty solid plan that can't possibly fail! At least we hope so. We managed to move the guild's base of operations to your place temporarily. You may not be getting your security deposit back. Gray and I got into it. Erza got involved. But it's ok! No one got hurt! Except for a couple of lamps…A vase…A wall…The new hole in your roof…Anyway!_

Natsu…If I could reach you right now, I'd throttle you.

 _We managed to hunt down the Element Four…Or should we say, we found the Element Four? If you could do us a favor and tell Gajeel to tell that Juvia chick to leave Gray alone, that'd make things a lot easier. She's following him around like a lost puppy and it's just getting creepy. Hopefully, we'll be seeing each other again real soon._

 _The guy your dad picked out sounds like a real winner. And if he's seen Gray and me fight, he should know how awesome wizards are! It was probably Gray's fault anyway. We have a foolproof plan. We'll get you out of that soon._

 _I miss you. See you soon._

 _-Natsu_

I miss you, too, Natsu…And I know falling asleep would've been a whole lot easier if you were here. Although, Gajeel's humming was weirdly soothing. Almost like a lullaby. I shut my eyes for just a minute. A minute turned into an hour. And an hour turned into the whole night. Thank you, Gajeel. Between you and Natsu, I managed to get a few hours…But…

"Miss Lucy," a soft voice woke me up, "Today's the day. You need to get up."

Joy. What time is it? I rolled over and looked at the clock. 5AM?! WHO SAID TO WAKE ME UP AT 5AM?

 **A/N: Well…It's Lucy's wedding day. And her big brother Gajeel was so nice to her and got her a little something something to take the edge off. Next week, we'll have Lucy's wedding. Mostly because it's time for Lumi to go to bed. I'm sorry this is up so late. I was out all day and I'm currently crashing from three shots of espresso. _Ms. Olivier, is that good for you?_ I don't care if it's bad for me, hypothetical assistant. I'm fine. Do you want some clean newspaper for your corner? _Yes, please._ I never said you had to use them. _You didn't give me an option._ Regardless, I'm going to bed. See you next chapter! xx**


	15. The Wedding of Lucy Heartfilia

**A/N: Hi, friends! Before we get into things, I want to talk about a comment from JustSomething from last week's chapter because I'm sure you're not the only one. Last week, as we remember, Lucy and Gajeel were having a moment together in the tavern in the small village of Meadowsweet. And they were saying how they were hoping to see Lucy completely sloshed. She wasn't totally wasted, but toward the end, she was a bit on the loopy side. You may be asking yourself (or not. If not, feel free ignore the following.), "Lumi, why didn't you have Lucy falling all over herself, wasted out of her mind? Well, she was a bit dizzy and kind of stumbly, hence why she was using Gajeel as a crutch. But Lucy's a classy lady. She's not going to be completely stupid. Alcohol affects some people like that, but not all of them. Me, personally, I just get a little dizzy and spacy, much like Lucy did. She was drunk. She just wasn't fall down drunk. Keep in mind, she was drinking with Gajeel, not Cana. If she were drinking with Cana (and trying to keep up), she'd be hammered. The more you know. Now, even better than Lucy's drinking experience, we now have the morning of her wedding. We're all very excited. Let's press forward, shall we?**

Whoever thought waking me up at 5AM was a good idea needed to be punched. I liked mornings. Don't get me wrong. The mere thought of getting up made me queasy, though. Everything started happening so fast that I didn't even care. While my maids were getting me ready for my sham of a wedding, I was too tired to put up any kind of a fight. Physical or otherwise. I wonder if that was the plan all along. Get Lucy ready first think in the morning before she has the energy to say no to anything. She's practically a zombie. A shame, really.

So, this is it, isn't it? Everything I've been through over the course of the last few days, the attack on Fairy Tail, my entire upbringing. It all comes down to this. Is this what you saw for my future, Mom? Me marrying a man I don't love for the sake of Father's business and feeding the family fortune? Of course it wasn't. If you were still alive, I'd be in Magnolia right now. I'd be in my house, sleeping like a baby with Natsu either in my bed or on my couch with Happy. If you had your way, I would never have been in this mess.

It's strange. As I look at myself in the full-length mirror, I can't help but think the girl staring back at me is so beautiful. Anyone would have to be blind not to think that. A blushing bride-to-be on her wedding day. Her long, white dress, her soft, fair skin, the lacy veil pinned so delicately in her long, blonde hair in a soft curl. Truly the image of an angel. But it's a shame that I don't recognize her anymore. She's become nothing but a shell. And a pair of elbow length white gloves covered up the only proof of who she really is. If he has his way, she'll never be that girl again.

"You know, Lucy…" Speak of the actual devil, "You really do look like your mother."

"I still don't want to do this," I reassured him, "And she wouldn't allow this."

Father's hand gripped my face tight, "Already being a selfish brat, are we? Lucy, are you going to ruin your own wedding day before it even starts?"

My entire body shook in his grasp. He calls me selfish, yet he's the one forcing me into this for his business to advance? I can't be the only one smelling the irony here. But something about the look in his eye struck fear in my quickly beating heart, "No, sir."

"Good," he let me go, "Is she ready?"

"Yes, Lord Heartfilia," one of the maids bowed.

"Come on," Father offered his arm to me, "Your new husband is waiting for you."

That very thought made me nauseous. I followed the man that used to be my father down to where two carriages waited outside. It's a good thing he and I weren't traveling together. I wouldn't be able to handle it. Instead, I had a motion sick Gajeel to deal with. Anything would be better than him.

"Hey, Lucy," he asked, "You think you could distract me?"

"Only if you'll do the same for me," I stared listlessly out the window.

"What's on your mind?" Gajeel suppressed another gag.

"I wish this carriage was taking me to Magnolia," I let out a heavy sigh, "At least the train station. But I know he's watching this carriage like a hawk. I want to go home so bad, Gajeel. And I don't mean the mansion."

"Your guild hall's in shambles, though," he remembered, "Why would you want to be in that mess?"

"It's not just the guild hall," I forced a smile, "You underestimate the spirit and the resolve of Fairy Tail. That's what I miss the most."

I didn't even know for sure if they were coming. If they were, I would've heard something by now. Natsu would've sent happy. News of Meadowsweet being a pile of rubble would've spread to us. They would've sent some kind of warning by now. It almost made me wonder if they were coming at all. Natsu, where are you?

"Hey," Gajeel lifted my chin, "You alright?"

"As much as the situation allows." Our carriage pulled up to the mansion. I guess I'm getting married in the gardens. That's not so bad, I guess. They're always beautiful this time of year. And in a way, Mom was still there.

"So?" he draped an arm around my shoulders, "You ready, princess?"

"Yeah," I didn't really have much of a choice. Doing what was right isn't going to be easy, but the alternative waited for me at the end of the aisle. Gajeel handed me back to my father, who stood with a smug grin on his face and a false sense of righteousness.

"I see you've wised up," he praised, "I'm proud of you for doing the right thing, Lucy."

I hadn't done the right thing yet. Once the music started and we started moving, stomach acid started coming up in the back of my throat. Maybe if I throw up all over the place, they'd have to postpone the wedding. It might be a bandage on a stab wound, but it could buy me some time. Or I could get a sewing needle and stich this up once and for all. Whatever I was going to do, I needed to do it quickly.

"Dearly beloved," the priest began, "We have gathered here today to celebrate the union of Lucy Heartfilia and Paul Aragorn in holy matrimony."

Against her will. Don't forget the against her will part. Nothing says a long, happy marriage quite like a good, old-fashioned abduction and force. If that doesn't lighten the mood of this place, I don't know what will. Then again, stuffy nobles wouldn't know what a smile was if it came up and bit them. This made me miss Natsu even more. He'd love to be trash talking these people with me, too.

"Now," the priest continued, "The couple has prepared their own vows, which they will now recite to each other."

They did? It would've been nice if the bride was told about this. I've known the guy for a couple of days. How am I supposed to come up with vows on the spot like this? I know I'm occasionally the amateur writer, but I'm not even that good. It made me curious, though. Paul had time to prepare. I wonder what he's going to say about me.

"Lucy," Paul took my hands, making my skin crawl, "From the moment we met, I knew you were the one for me. Smart, beautiful. What more could I want?"

Wow...Where do I begin? I wasn't a big believer in love at first sight. The other person would truly have to be something exceptional for that to work. Or a unicorn. And when we first met, I was more interested in the dead, roasted pig splayed across the dining room table than you. If you cared a little bit about what I was thinking, you'd know my stance on this and you'd be fine with me practicing magic. More importantly, I shouldn't be standing up here waiting for his permission. If I have healthy legs, I can stand. If I'm standing, I can walk away from this. If someone tries to catch me, I'll run.

Then, why couldn't I move? And why is everyone staring at me?

"Uh, Lucy," Paul gave me a nudge, "Say something."

"I..." They all waited with baited breath, wanting to hear what I had to say about the man at my side. I shot a quick glance at Gajeel, the only one here on my side, standing in the back. No doubt, he was here in case I bolt. And I wanted to. Gajeel gave me one nod of reassurance and that was all I needed, "I can't go through with this wedding."

"What?" Paul kept his voice down while a collective gasp fell over the crowd. I caught my father fuming out of the corner of my eye. If I said that wasn't bringing me a little bit of sadistic joy, I'd be lying, "Lucy, you're not thinking straight. Of course you can."

"No," I corrected him, "I'm thinking completely straight. Just not in the way you want me to."

"Lucy, please," he begged, "You're embarrassing me. Can we just continue our wedding without rocking the boat anymore here?"

There it was. The little spark to set off the time bomb I was right now, "I'm the one embarrassing you? Are you the one up here against your will? Do you feel your dignity slipping away with every passing second?"

"No, but..."

"Are your friends being held hostage?" I only got angrier as this went on, "Are you the one getting married out of obligation to further your bloodline? Or your father's business, for that matter? Are you really the one to be in the position to complain?"

"No," Paul grabbed a hold of my wrist, gripping it tight. If he didn't just do a one-eighty, "But my insolent wife with the big mouth is being a bit difficult."

"We're not even compatible," I got out of his grasp. Gajeel was right. This guy was a weenie, "We'd never work out."

"And why should that matter?" he growled, sounding just like him, "I love you, Lucy. I won't let you go. Why can't you see that I'm the prince you want? Is that not every little girl's dream?"

"No," I stood. Maybe on shaky ground, but I'm still standing, "My dream was to leave here and become the one thing you hate."

"Please," Paul scoffed, "Like you could be a wizard. You don't even have any capabilities to do magic. You were being harbored at the Fairy Tail guild hall. That doesn't make you a wizard."

"No," I whipped my gloves off and showed him my hand, "This does. I was more than just being harbored. I am a Fairy Tail wizard whether you like it or not."

"We can have that removed," he assured, "Can we hurry this up please?"

"I never wanted a prince to come and rescue me," I went on, refusing to be silenced.

"Hush!" Paul demanded, "Now, hurry up and marry us!"

"Ok..." the priest quivered, "If anyone has any reason these two should not..."

"No one does!"

"Can I object?" I put my hand up.

"No!" Paul hurried this along, "Finish this now!"

"I have something to say about this," a familiar voice set me at ease. It's about time, "Along with a few of my friends."

"Who are you?" he glared, while I couldn't keep a smile off my face.

"We're friends of the bride." Well, he's not lying, "Lucy, you could've sent us an invitation."

"I didn't have control of the wedding," I melted inside, "You think I had control of the guest list? I told Happy ten o'clock. You're late."

"No one asked you to be here," Paul was ready to punch someone. Not that it'd do any good really, "Leave."

"You think she wants a prince?" he chuckled, "No. Lucy is so much more than the princess you all seem to think she is. She's no damsel in distress. She doesn't want a prince or a knight to come and save her. All she wants is her freedom."

"And a dragon!"

"Gajeel!" I snapped, feeling my cheeks get hotter. I guess it wouldn't be a proper wedding without a blushing bride.

"Excuse me?"

"Not me," Gajeel assured, rolling his eyes, "Wow, Salamander. People really give you more credit than you deserve."

"Lucy..." Natsu started turning colors, too.

"Lucy," Father got angry, "Just say I do. Gajeel, throw them out!"

"No," I put my foot down, "If this is me being the selfish brat, then I'll gladly be the selfish brat. I don't care anymore. At least I wouldn't use my daughter to make me more money."

"Lucy," he growled, "If you don't want to go back to that tower for the rest of your life, you're going through with this wedding."

"I'd rather the tower!" I fought back, "Lock me up all you want. I'll find a way out. I'm not marrying Paul. There's no way I'd ever love him. But I doubt you'd ever give my real wedding your blessing because you wouldn't have control over it."

"Hey, Lucy!" Gray had a ring in his hand. One that I never thought I'd ever see again, "Catch!"

My key ring flew through the air and I got underneath it. Hi, guys. Did you miss me? Because I missed you. I'd even take Taurus being a creepy pervert and Aquarius being terrifying over this fake wedding right now, "Thank you!"

"Wait a minute," Paul thought it over, "Those wizards...The ones that tore up Magnolia...They know you?!"

"They're friends of mine," I beamed, "Some of the best I've ever had. I'd appreciate it if you were a little nicer to them."

"Hey, Luce," Natsu called out, "Come on! I'm sure you got better places to be!"

"Hold on," Paul grabbed my arm, "Marry me, Lucy. Two little words. Just say I do and we'll be married and away from ruffian trash like them."

"Hey!" Natsu blew a line of fire at him, sending the bottom of Paul's jacket ablaze, "Who are you calling trash?"

"Natsu!" I ran down the aisle and jumped into his arms, burying my face in his shoulder, "I missed you..."

"I missed you, too," he hugged me tight, "Let's get you out of here, yeah?"

"Absolutely." Didn't have to tell me twice.

"Don't do this, Lucy," Father demanded, "Gajeel, stop her! Get her back!"

"Sorry," Gajeel grabbed a hold of me. But I don't think he was stopping me, "It was nice hanging around with you, princess. Maybe I'll stop by when your guild hall is in one piece again. Magnolia's a nice town."

This wasn't capture. This was a hug goodbye. I laid my head on his chest, "Thank you, Gajeel. And I'll be sure to send Levy your regards."

"How do you know about...?" Gajeel started going red.

"You talk in your sleep, too," I smiled, "Really, though. Thank you."

"Don't be so quick to judge, got it?" he jabbed, "I told you that you had me all wrong. I was never not on your side."

"Rub it in."

"Get her out of here, Salamander," Gajeel insisted, preparing his stance, "I'll give you guys some cover."

"And let you have all the fun?" Natsu wasn't having it. If the roaring fire in his eyes didn't give that away, "Not a chance. If you're fighting, I want in. I have a grudge to work out here. Besides, I think Lucy can manage getting herself back to Magnolia on her own, right, Lucy?"

"If anyone deserves to be in this fight," I held my position, ready to attack, "It's me."

"Lucy," Father pleaded one last time, "You don't want to do this."

"How would you know?" I shot him a glare, "It's not like you know me very well anyway."

"But I am your father," he reminded me, "And I know what's best for you. Now, let go of your pointless little dream of being a wizard, Layla, and let's finish this wedding!"

"What...?" His slip up caught me off guard. I know he said I looked just like her, but why would Father have called me Mom. I don't understand.

"Enough talking!" Natsu got ready to throw punches, "We're not letting you take her!"

"Natsu," Master Makarov joined us, "Settle down."

"But...!" With one look, he was rendered silent, "Alright. I'll just be over here."

"Jude Heartfilia," Master Makarov stepped up for me, "I haven't seen you in twenty years. And if I could've had another twenty, I'd be more than happy with that. In a perfect world, I'd never see your face again."

"Do I know you?" Father asked, frozen in confusion.

"My name is Makarov Dreyar," he introduced himself, "Twenty years ago, your late wife Layla walked into my guild hall seeking refuge from an arranged marriage. Her future husband didn't like the thought of her practicing magic. She just got her first key. A gold one. And she was looking to join a guild. But because her future husband took her out of Magnolia, she couldn't become a member of my guild. And it's one of my greatest regrets."

"And what does this have to do with anything?" Father brushed him off.

"I made that mistake once," Master Makarov shielded me, "And I refuse to let it happen again."

"That's very touching," Father moved closer, entirely unfazed, "It's too bad she's not yours. You have no right to be here."

"Do you see that mark on her hand?" he pointed out, "Look at it! Lucy is a member of Fairy Tail. And no one can take that away from her. As the Fairy Tail guild master, it is my sworn duty to protect my guild. That includes her. Not only have you put her life and happiness in danger, but that of my children when you blew up my guild hall and hired mercenaries to hold them at gunpoint! And for that, I will never forgive you."

"I'm heartbroken..." Father rolled his eyes, "You still have no right to Lucy."

"You're the one talking about her like she's an object!" Master Makarov snapped, "You're the one selling her off like she isn't a human being. Yet, I have no right to her. I wouldn't be exploiting her like this. That's for sure."

"Lucy," Father grabbed me, his grip getting stronger, "You're not going anywhere."

But I wasn't going to let that break me. I could have a little bit of help. And I happened to know someone that would be more than happy to help. Besides, I was the cutest celestial wizard he's ever met. I kept my voice down and got the right key, "Open…Gate of the golden bull…Taurus!"

And out of the bright light, a giant bull emerged, "You called for me, Miss Lucy? Who's this guy?"

"Now, we're leaving," I pushed him off me, "Taurus, keep me safe."

"Anything for you," Taurus blocked my father off from me, "Please keep a distance of five feet from Miss Lucy at all times. Thank you, sir."

"What is this thing?!" Father backed off.

"This is Taurus," I introduced him, "He's one of my newer celestial spirits, but he'd take a bullet for me. Isn't that right, Taurus?"

"Absoluuuuuuuutely," Taurus winked at me. I know I said I'd rather Taurus than that wedding, but I forgot how strong he came on, "You look cute in a wedding dress, Miss Lucy..."

"Settle down."

"Lucy," Natsu extended his hand to me, "Come on. Let's go home."

"Ok," I gladly accepted. My heart was about to explode, but I didn't care. We were about to go back to our makeshift guild hall. My house. Natsu, Happy, and I took one of the carriages and started heading toward the train station. I don't care what my father tries to do. I knew in my heart we'd be able to take on anything he had to throw at us.

As we got on the train to Magnolia, Natsu, Happy, and I had a car all to ourselves. The others opted to stay behind just in case things decided to go sideways. And all I could do was hold Natsu tight while he was trying not to throw up on me. I thought I was going to stay in that tower forever. I thought I'd have to go through with that wedding. But because of the boy in my arms, I'm free. Again. And I never wanted to let him go…

 **A/N: YAY! REUNITED AND IT FEELS SO GOOOOD! REUNITED AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THE REST OF THAT SONG GOES! _Ms. Olivier, are you feeling ok?_ Super, hypothetical assistant! I'm actually in quite the good mood. Natsu and Lucy are back together. Lucy didn't have to marry Super Douche. All in all, can't complain. And! I also burned my thumb today cooking, so there's a lovely little blister working right now. It still hurts. Keeping it on a bottle of La Croix works really nicely, though. BUT! Back to more relevant topics. Next week we're going to be back in Magnolia and back at the guild hall (or Lucy's house) and I'm sure everything's going to be just fine. See you next chapter! xx**


	16. Home is Where the Dragon Sleeps

Traveling never was a pretty sight. If only Natsu had the same handle on his motion sickness as Gajeel. At least he managed to fall asleep. It was awfully quick, too. I couldn't help but wonder how long it's been since Natsu got decent sleep. All I wanted to do was hold him just like this. I missed that gentle face of his when he's asleep. Because I knew better. I knew what that face was like when it was awake. How stubborn it could be. How sweet it could be. How stupid it could be. At the end of the day, though, I knew I could trust that face with my life.

"Wow, Lucy," Happy jabbed, "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were Natsu's mother."

"No way," I rolled my eyes, "That'd be too weird. I can't help but feel sorry for him. It doesn't matter how many times I see him like this."

"Then, his girlfriend?" This cat had a death wish.

"No, Happy," I groaned, "Do you not know what empathy is?"

"There's a difference between this and empathy," Happy sat on our side.

"That's all this is," I assured, "You are reading way too into this."

"On the plus side, though," he laid on my other side, "The skirt of your wedding dress makes for a really good pillow, Lucy. I can see why Natsu picked here to take a nap."

"It's not the fact that he's feeling sick or anything." Poor Natsu. I wish there was more I could do for you. For now, just get some rest, ok? I cradled him in my lap until we got to the station in Magnolia. Not only would he feel better, but we'd finally be home.

As much as I'd love to go through my original plans of laying in my bathtub, I think my first order of business will be getting out of my wedding dress. If I'm going to keep the attention off me, nothing is a bright, flashing sign like a giant, white wedding dress. I don't want the fake congratulations for a faker wedding that I didn't even go through with. And it was all thanks to the guy asleep in my lap. I'll never be able to repay you for what you've done for me, Natsu. I'll always be grateful for having you in my life.

Wow. Those sounded more like vows than the dribble spewing out of Paul's mouth. It was definitely more truthful. From the very beginning until now, Natsu's always been protecting me. Although he was being paid by my father at first, he still took care of me. If I was upset or in pain or I needed to vent, he was always there. Even now, Natsu worked through his motion sickness just so I wouldn't have to take the train back to Magnolia alone. You truly make me feel like a princess, Natsu. The princess I was always meant to be.

When we pulled into the Magnolia station, a sudden wave of peace crashed over me. Home sweet home. Now, for one last piece of unfinished business. I whispered softly in his ear, "Natsu…Natsu, wake up. We're…"

The break in my voice was enough to wake him. Immediately, Natsu sat up, "Lucy? What is it? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I wiped the few stray tears from my eyes, "Absolutely nothing. We're home."

"Not quite yet," he clarified, "We got a couple blocks until we get to your house."

"That's right," I settled myself. I don't know what just came over me, but it'd be cool if it wouldn't happen again, "So, is my house still standing?"

"Of course it is!" Natsu assured, picking Happy up, "Mostly."

"Alright," I relaxed. According to Natsu's letters, I had a hole in the roof to look forward to. There goes my security deposit, "What kind of condition is it in?"

"Your house is fine," he promised, "Honestly, Lucy. You worry too much. I almost missed that."

And with good reason. When we got to my house, it didn't look too bad from the outside. Other than the hole in the roof and a broken window someone neglected to tell me about. But I'm still cautiously optimistic! I'm sure the inside is just fine. I mean, it's only had the rowdiest guild in all of Fiore squatting there for the past week. What could possibly have gone wrong? Cautiously optimistic.

Nope. This place was in ruin. I don't know why I would've expected anything different. But in all honesty, despite me not being surprised, I wouldn't have it any other way. This truly felt like home. I've never been so happy to come home to an absolute mess in my life. My beautiful mess. I needed that on a framed cross-stitch by the door. Once the roof gets fixed and my window gets replaced. If my landlord doesn't evict me first.

"Lucy," Erza greeted me, sitting at my kitchen table, stuffing her face, "Welcome home."

"Is that my wedding cake?!" I gasped.

"I figured you weren't using it," she shrugged, "It'd be a shame for it to go to waste."

"You ate most of it! There were four tiers!"

"Is that a problem?" Erza's eyes glowed angrily. I've been with Fairy Tail long enough to know not to poke that bear.

"No," I quivered, "Go ahead. Help yourself."

"Lucy!" a gentle voice warmed my heart. Her crutches tapped across my floor.

"Levy!" I held her up, "You didn't have to get up for me."

"I'm just glad to see you again," Levy smiled, "Are you alright? Not too banged up?"

"Coming from the girl on crutches?" I giggled, helping her back to her spot on my couch, "Don't worry about me. I'm fine. How about you?"

"I'm alright," Levy shrugged me off, "I've been through worse. I should be out of the cast in a week. My pain medicine works like a charm. Like I said, we've been more worried about you. My injuries will heal."

"The guy that did this to you," I admitted, "He's got his issues. Don't get me wrong. But he's really not that bad when he's by himself."

"What was his name again?" she thought it over, "He was kind of cute in that brute strength kind of way."

"Gajeel," I bit the inside of my cheek, knowing all too well his feelings for Levy, "When he's not being a jerk, he can be really sweet. He told me that he'd stop through here when the guild hall is in one piece again."

"It's just good to have you back, Lucy," Master Makarov joined us.

"Thank you," his words still resonated with me. I never asked him for his kindness in such extremes, but for Master Makarov to go to bat for me against my father like that...It truly touched me.

"How are you?" he wondered, "I'm sure you're tired."

"Very," I confirmed, "It's been...a day, to say the least. I'll be ok. Once my house is fixed and the guild hall is rebuilt."

"Thank you for opening your home to us," Master Makarov took my hand, "That was very generous of you."

"This?" I smiled, getting a lump in my throat. I looked around my living room. Cana passed out in the corner with her barrel, no doubt empty. Jet and Droy sleeping back to back on the couch with Levy sitting on the end. Gray had claimed the coffee table as his bed. Erza was still in the kitchen. My wedding cake wasn't going to eat itself. Mirajane was asleep on the floor with a few blankets under her. And Natsu...He wasn't leaving my side, "This guild is my home. No matter where we are. If we're at my house or in the guild hall. And no one, not even my father, can take that away from us."

"I couldn't have said it better myself," a smile crept across our guild master's face, "Go on, Lucy. Get some rest. Natsu, you, too."

"Yes, sir," I nodded, not needing to be told twice.

Natsu and I went into my bedroom, shutting the door behind us. Now, for the moment I've been waiting for since this morning. Without another thought, I got a good hold of the zipper on the back of my dress. Natsu put the sleeping blue cat in his arms down on the chair. Finally, my dress puddled around my ankles, leaving me in nothing but my underwear and my stockings.

"Uh, Lucy," Natsu stuttered, "I, uh...Do you...Do you want me to, to give you a...a minute?"

"Just cover your eyes," I suggested, looking in my closet for pajamas.

"They are covered," his voice went up a few octaves. To think, this used to be a regular occurrance. I wonder what's got him so weird now. Regardless, I got redressed in something a lot more comfortable and crawled into bed.

"Alright," I allowed, "You can look now. It's safe."

"You're not naked?"

"No," I rolled my eyes, giggling under my breath.

"Ok," Natsu took his hands off his eyes, "So, do I sleep on the floor tonight?"

"Where were you sleeping while I was gone?" I asked, nestling further in my bed. Still didn't feel quite right.

"Right where you are," he pointed, "I was the only one who could sleep in here."

"Really?" I gave him a look, "No one got mad about you getting my room all to yourself?"

"They understood," Natsu got a quilt out of my linen closet, making himself a spot on the floor, "So, nobody would've dared to make a fuss about it."

"Natsu..."

"What?"

"What are you doing?" I spoke flatly.

"Going to bed," he looked up at me, "Why?"

"I can see that," I moved over, "But what are you doing down there?"

"Trying to sleep."

"Come here," I insisted, "You really should know better."

"You..." Natsu tiptoed, "You want me in your bed?"

"Natsu," I pulled him down, "We've shared a bed a million times before. Why are you playing shy now?"

"I don't know," he grumbled, hiding his face from me, "I just want to get to sleep."

"Ok," I wrapped my arms around him, almost bursting into tears again, "I missed you, Natsu."

"I missed you, too," he pulled me into his chest, "Hey, Lucy..."

"Hmm?" I was nearly sleeping already. A second or two later and I would've been out.

"I was thinking," Natsu ran his fingers up my spine, making me even sleepier, "Since things have been so crazy lately around here...Between you taking off with Phantom Lord and the guild hall and Shadow Gear and this whole mess..."

"Get on with it, Natsu."

"Would you want to take a day?" he spat it out, "Just you and me? Leave Happy here?"

"Absolutely," I nodded, letting out a tiny yawn, "I could use a decent day off. Just one. That's all I need."

"Awesome," Natsu settled down, his embrace around me tightening, "Good night, Lucy."

"Good night, Natsu," I curled into his ribs. This felt right. This felt so much better. And I had the best sleep I've had in an eternity because of this. I've said it once. I'll say it again. I always sleep better with Natsu. And I don't think anything's going to change that.

When I woke up the next morning, he was still there. This wasn't a dream. This was real. What really drove it home was Happy sleeping at the foot of the bed instead of where Natsu left him. I couldn't be too mad at him, though. Natsu was his world, too, whether he wanted to admit it or not. I bit down on my tongue just to make sure. The most delightful jolt of pain ran through my mouth. It is real...

"Hey," Natsu took notice, keeping his voice down, "Good morning, Lucy. Did you sleep ok?"

Just like riding a bike. I moved in a bit closer, "Like a rock. What about you?"

"Weird dream," he shook it off, "But I'm alright. Why don't you go get ready before Happy wakes up? I know a cafe near the guild hall. I took care of some business for the owner and he feeds me for free."

"Ok," I got up and felt over on my nightstand for my key ring. Someone else could stand to come out of his gate, too. I didn't even have to yell for him. All I needed to do was drop his key. A little light circle shined on my floor and the cutest little snowman popped out, "Good morning, Plue."

Plue let out a tiny squeak that absolutely melted me. Natsu jumped, "What's that thing?"

"This is Plue," I got out of bed and picked Plue up, snuggling him in my arms, "Isn't he just the cutest? Gajeel gave me his gate key as a wedding present."

"Gajeel gave you that?" he scoffed, "He doesn't look so tough."

"He's not meant to be tough," I defended him, "He's cute. There's nothing wrong with that. Natsu, you're going to give him a complex. Gajeel was bad enough. Be nice."

"Sorry," Natsu apologized, "I didn't expect him to be so tiny. What'd you summon him for?"

"Plue, do you want to make a new friend?" I asked, putting him back on the floor.

Plue nodded.

"You have to wait, though," I told him, "He's still asleep."

"Happy?" Natsu assumed, "You're leaving that for Happy?"

"He won't have you to play with," I pointed out, "I'm sure he won't mind the companionship. And if you call Plue an it one more time, I'm summoning Aquarius to take care of you."

"I've never met Aquarius," he sat up in bed, "That doesn't hold much of a threat."

"Trust me," I shivered, going into my closet, "She's scary. She's not one to drop lightly. Aquarius told me that the next time I summon her and it's not a life and death situation on the beach, she's killing me. I don't have a death wish."

"Then, why would you have a contract with her?" Natsu wondered, "If you're so scared of her."

"Well," I picked out a top and a short, blue skirt. That should be good, "I have a special place in my heart for Aquarius. She was my first summon. She was the second spirit I ever made a contract with. She was the key my mother gave me before she died. One of the last things I ever heard her say was to take care of her. And I promised her that I would. I could never get rid of Aquarius. Now, if it's alright with you, I'm going to go take a shower."

"Don't let me stop you."

I went into my bathroom and turned the water on. Home sweet home. I forgot how wonderful the water pressure was here. Life was good again. For now anyway. I have no doubt that my father's going to retaliate for my little stunt at the mansion. Oh, well. On that day, he learned a valuable lesson. It's my life, not his. And I doubt Paul's going to do anything. Like Gajeel said, he's a bit of a weenie. Then again, he said the same thing about Natsu, but I think that was more out of pettiness than anything. Paul didn't have anything on his side other than the power of money. He hated wizards, so I doubt he'll hire a guild to come after me again. Besides, I had someone from Phantom Lord on my side.

"Lucy!" Natsu called into my bathroom as I was finishing up my hair, "Are you ready yet?"

"Just about," I hooked my key ring on my belt loop, doing one last look in the mirror. Wow, Lucy. Freedom and independence looks good on you. I walked out of my bathroom and did a quick spin, "Well? How do I look?"

"Fine," he brushed me off, "Come on! I've been wanting us to hang out like this for a long time. Let's go make the most of it, ok?"

"Definitely," I couldn't hold back a smile if I wanted to. It'd just be Natsu and me today. Wait…Hold on a second…Was this what I think it was or was my dream and Gajeel getting to my head? There's no way this was a date…Was it?

 **A/N: AND we're going to leave it here. Why, you may ask? Because I have a problem when it comes to cliffhangers. It's an addiction. One that I plan on getting help for very soon. Also, my right index finger hurts and I need to quit typing for the day…I might have cut it on a cheese grater yesterday a little deeper than what I would've liked. Regardless, I also have some lovely guests to talk to.**

 **First of all, my dude, there might be explosions coming up. You don't know. I don't know. Gajeel is my baby and I love him, so I'm not going to make him a total douche. Occasional douche moments, but with a heart of gold. That is how I've seen Gajeel Redfox since day one. As for what episode I'm on, I think episode 52. As you all know, I watch it with my nephew and he's only here once a week. I can't watch without him or he gets awfully salty with me. Even if I wasn't waiting to watch it with him, I hardly have the time. Between this story and all the other ongoing stories I update in a week, it's a mess.**

 **ButtotaldisclosureImighthavestartedplayinghetaliainthebackgroundwhileI'mwritingandgetreallyeasilydistractedandwouldtotallyhavebabieswithfrancekbye.**

 **To Larissa, Taurus is the biggest celestial spirit Lucy's got right now, making him the most intimidating. And we all know Taurus would take a bullet for Lucy. As long as after he takes the bullet, he can take her to dinner. Wink. Winkwink. Winkwinkwink. Sorry. I got something in my eye.**

 **Now, my lovelies, I have another chapter to get started on for tomorrow and the rest of the week to outline. See you next chapter! xx**


	17. Downtime

Still not a date. At least I don't think so. Come on, Lucy. It's just Natsu. Remember when he was still guarding your tower? You wanted to hit him. Now, you're best friends and you worry about him and you want to hit him slightly less. But you know Natsu would take a bullet for you. And you for him. Besides, we haven't had a chance to just hang out in a long time. Whenever we tried, something would've come up and we'd be off on another great, grand adventure. It'll be nice to finally get some downtime.

Natsu brought me into the cutest little cafe a couple blocks from the guild hall. This did not look like somewhere Natsu would've been caught dead in. In all honesty, it reminded me of the solarium in the mansion. If the solarium made a baby with a lace doily, it'd be this cafe. I'm not complaining, though. I was starving and since I got out of bed running this morning, Natsu denied me my morning coffee. That's usually grounds for the death penalty, but given that it's Natsu, I'll let it slide.

"I know this place is enough to make you diabetic," Natsu admitted, "But it really is one of the best kept secrets in Magnolia once you swallow your pride enough to walk in."

"It's adorable," I agreed, getting our table, "That's for sure. Any recommendations?"

"A jasmine lemonade and a blueberry muffin," he insisted, "It's amazing."

"Natsu Dragneel," a sweet, older woman walked out to us, "I thought I saw you! And with a girl, not Happy?"

"Ok," Natsu turned bright red, "She's a friend and a guild member. Lucy, this is Ernestine. She's the owner's wife."

"And her name is Lucy!" Ernestine awed, taking my hand, "It's so nice to meet you, sweetheart."

"You, too." I loved this woman already.

"So, Natsu," she asked, "Usual order?"

"Absolutely," Natsu beamed, "It's half the reason why I come in here."

"And the other half is because you get a hundred percent discount on it."

"No," he shook his head, "It's for you, Ernestine."

"Honey, I know better," she teased, "The way to your heart is through your stomach. Lucy, take note."

"I already learned that lesson a long time ago," I giggled, "I've witnessed it firsthand."

"Thank you, Ernestine," Natsu sunk into his chair.

"I know what you want," she brushed him off, turning her attention to me, "Lucy, dear, what can I get for you?"

"Coffee," I ordered, "Dark roast. Hazelnut creamer. A little sugar. And a raspberry scone."

"Give me just a minute," Ernestine assured, "I'll be right back."

"Thank you," Natsu sent her off.

"Natsu," I gushed, "I love her."

"Ernestine's great," he admitted, "Don't be surprised if she gives you a full interrogation when she comes back, though. I love Ernestine to death, but she also likes to meddle."

"I'm pretty much an open book," I shrugged, "She can ask me anything she wants."

"What about me?" Natsu wondered, "Could I ask you anything?"

"Of course," I allowed, "What do you want to know?"

"I'm sorry if this is one of those things," he apologized in advance, "But I'm curious. When you were back in your tower..."

"Nothing really happened," I put his mind at ease, "Other than me digging my heels in about the wedding."

"And Gajeel...?" Natsu grumbled, "Did he treat you decently?"

"Really?" I rolled my eyes, "Natsu, after we left Phantom Lord, Gajeel nearly threw up twice on the way back to the tower. In a way, it reminded me of you."

"So, your guards have something in common," he pouted, "Other than you."

"Gajeel wasn't too bad," I went on, "Even after I tried breaking out."

"You tried breaking out?" Natsu gasped, "Lucy, have I ever mentioned that you fit into Fairy Tail like a glove?"

"My father always said I was a flight risk," I chuckled, "He didn't need to know about Virgo. Needless to say, he found out about Virgo."

"I like Virgo," he grinned, "So, you summoned Virgo and...?"

"And that was it," I dangled my feet over the edge of my chair, "Gajeel and I actually got along famously after that. Even threw me an impromptu bachelorette party, but he told me not to tell my dad."

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing too crazy," I pushed the vein back in his forehead, "We went down to Meadowsweet and had a drink. That's when he gave me Plue."

"Alright..." Natsu relaxed, "I still don't like him."

"Honestly, you would," I figured, "If you would've met under better circumstances, you and Gajeel would be on each other's Christmas card list."

"Here, sweetheart," Ernestine came back with our order, "The girls in the bakery send their love, Natsu. You know how Bridgette is about you."

"I let her down gently," Natsu sipped on his lemonade, "Thank you, Ernestine."

"Don't worry about her," she pulled up a chair, "I told her about Lucy. She's fine."

"What did you tell her about Lucy?" I perked up.

"Oh, nothing," Ernestine sang, "Now, Lucy...You and I need to talk."

"Ok," I started to sweat, "What about?"

"Tell me about yourself," she begged, "I'd love to get to know you better."

"Oh," I exhaled, taking a drink, "There's not much to tell."

"She's trying to play modest," Natsu stepped in, "Lucy's amazing! She's a wizard, too."

"Is she now?" Ernestine awed, "What kind of wizard? Are you like Natsu, too?"

"No," I blushed, getting my key ring off my belt loop, "I'm a celestial wizard. I summon spirits instead of conjure fire."

"That sounds neat," she praised, "So, that's probably how you two met, isn't it? Because of your magic?"

Natsu spat his lemonade halfway across the cafe while I choked on my scone. The two of us were busy dying, but in a way, she was right. Because I started practicing magic, I got locked in that tower. That tower needed protection, so my father placed the ad for a dragon slayer. And that led to Natsu and Happy meeting me. It's strange. I never thought I'd like anyone my father would introduce me to. Yet, it's happened twice. But telling our story to Ernestine? Not in the cards today, "I guess you could say that."

"I should've known," Ernestine smiled, "After you and Lisanna, Natsu, I never thought you'd ever be with another wizard. It's amazing what magic can do."

"I was never with Lisanna either!" Natsu got defensive. Who's Lisanna?

"Whatever you say," she let it go.

"Look," he got up, "We should be going anyway. We have a whole town to get through today."

"We do?" I wondered, clueless to Natsu's plans for today.

"Yeah!" Natsu's face lit up, "I did say I wanted us to have a real day off. It's been a while since I've gotten lost in Magnolia. And you've barely scratched to surface of what it has to offer."

"Ok," I took his hand, "Thank you, Ernestine. It was nice meeting you."

"You, too, dear," Ernestine sent us off to tackle the streets of Magnolia. Natsu had a point. I've only been to Magnolia a few times before joining Fairy Tail. Even after, I'm never in town long enough to appreciate it.

Natsu, Happy, and I kept pretty busy. I couldn't help but wonder if that was on purpose. If I was working, my mind would be somewhere else. Not to mention, if I was running around all of Fiore, I'd be harder for my father to find. I should keep doing that. For now, though, I was getting my well-deserved, sorely needed day off with my best friend. I had no idea what Natsu had planned for us, but I didn't care. As long as we were together and we didn't have that constant threat looming over our heads, we were good.

And that's exactly what we did. Natsu and I wandered aimlessly through Magnolia, sticking our heads in magic shops, bakeries, walking around the park together. He even made the mistake of browsing a used bookstore with me. Granted, Magnolia was a guild town, so magic was pretty commonplace. However, the inside of a used bookstore held a different kind of magic altogether.

"I don't get it, Lucy," Natsu sighed out, "There a plenty of bookstores where the books are brand new. Why would you want them used?"

"Because," I swooned, "There's another story other than the ones printed on the pages."

"What do you mean?" he wasn't following.

"Like..." I ran my fingers over the spines of a group of romance novels and found one with some fraying around the edges. The corners were slightly ripped on all sides and a dark ring stained the back cover, "This one! Perfect."

"What about it?" Natsu skimmed the summary on the back cover and I thought his eyes were about to pop out of his skull, "Lucy! You shouldn't be reading this!"

"Oh, please," I rolled my eyes. He sounded like my father, "A little harlequin romance isn't going to kill me. Besides, it's not the story between the covers we're looking at."

"Pun intended?" he grinned proudly. This was my best friend. I chose to be around him.

"Focus," I brought him back, "Look at the book. Not just the story, but look at the book itself. We'll start simple. See the ring on the back?"

"What about it?"

"Someone was drinking coffee while they read it," I pointed out.

"How do you know that?" he wondered, looking over my shoulder, "It could've been tea, too."

"That was my first thought," I agreed, "But it's too dark to be tea. Unless it's black tea, maybe, but even black tea has a reddish tint to it. Coffee's more brown. That's why this is a coffee ring, not a tea ring. But they didn't just read this while drinking coffee. Maybe while they were having breakfast. A lazy Sunday morning with a good, thick romance novel. Sounds kind of nice, don't you think?"

"And you can tell all that," Natsu scoffed, "Just by looking at a book?"

"Yep!" I beamed, "And there's more!"

"You're so weird, Lucy," he teased, "But that's pretty cool. What else is there to tell?"

"Most likely," I went on, "If this person was reading this during breakfast, they lived alone. No one to share their breakfast with, so this book was their company."

"Well, this just took a sad turn," Natsu winced.

"Not necessarily," I continued my inspection, "I lived alone for a while. If you and Happy wouldn't have unofficially moved into my house…"

"Along with the rest of the guild…"

"I still would've lived alone," I clarified, "Believe it or not, I do enjoy my solitude. And going by the look of this book, the previous owner and I enjoyed our solitude the same way."

"What makes you say that?" Natsu wondered, no doubt questioning my sanity at this point.

"The fraying around the bottom," I turned the book, "What can we figure out from this?"

"Uh…" he looked closer, "Their house flooded and it ended up getting that book!"

"I appreciate the enthusiasm," I giggled, "But not quite. You were right about it getting wet, though."

"Then, how do you know it wasn't a flood?" Natsu got defensive. He really was getting into this.

"See the bottom?" I ran my fingers along the pages, "If this book had been through a flood, it'd have this all over, not just the bottom. Since it's only one the bottom, the most likely reason is that it was read a lot in the bathtub. I can relate."

"That's got to be some sort of superpower," he blinked in disbelief.

"Nope," I shook my head, "Just a lot of time on my hands. And I'm pretty observant."

"You could say that again," Natsu let me be and I went back to casually browsing. I'm sure that a lot of these books had stories they could tell other than the ones printed in them. Some these books had tears of joy, some tears of pain. Some helped people, some destroyed people. Some reminded us what it means to be alive. And I think that's a beautiful thing.

When we left the bookstore, I had a few new additions to go to the shelf (including that one romance novel. Romance isn't really my usual genre, but I couldn't leave it there. If I don't like it, I know a girl back at my house that would eat this up. And since she's got some downtime, I'm sure she'd appreciate it.) and a lighter feeling in my chest. It was already getting dark out and the stars…I've never seen them shine so bright. Maybe spending all day with Natsu wasn't so bad. In all honesty, I haven't been this happy in ages. I almost forgot what it felt like. To be completely at peace.

"Hey, Natsu…" I spoke softly, clutching my bags tight.

"Yes…?" Natsu spun around, walking backwards. This boy was going to end up hurting himself.

"About today," my hands started sweating and I thought the ground beneath me was going to give out. Get it together, Lucy. Spit it out, "I really did miss you while I was gone."

"I missed you more," he teased, "Things just weren't the same without you around, you know?"

"I know the feeling," I let out a heavy sigh, "It was a rough week, but we don't have to deal with it anymore. We have right now. I couldn't have asked for a better day. So, thank you, Natsu. As much as I would've loved staying in bed all day today, I'm glad you got me out of the house."

"Speaking of your house," Natsu winced, "Are you mad about all the damage we did? I mean, it can all get fixed and replaced, but still. It'll be a lot of fixing and replacing."

"Not really," I shrugged, relaxing a little, "If I would've come back to my house in one piece, the wrong guild is staying there. Granted, I didn't know what I was getting into when I joined the guild, but I learned quick how much of a rowdy bunch we are. If I wasn't prepared for that, I wouldn't have let you guys stay there in the first place."

"Lucy," he slipped his hand in mine, "Can I…?"

"Natsu?" I squeezed his hand back. He had gone completely blank, "Natsu…?"

"Never mind," Natsu shook me off, "Don't worry about it."

"Hey," I settled him, "You know you can tell me anything. What's on your mind?"

"I…" Wait a second. Was Natsu blushing? That was a sight rarely seen, but it seems to be happening quite a bit today. I don't understand why, but I found it rather adorable. What was he trying to say that would get him so worked up like this? Only one thing came to mind and I don't think he'd kick me off the team, "I wanted to tell you that…"

BANG!

"Oh, COME ON!" I screeched in sheer anger, "I can't have ONE NIGHT OFF?!"

Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…Why can't Lucy have nice things? All I ask is for one night off from the hectic and the crazy, yet here we are. Somehow, though, I managed to catch myself smiling. All was right in the world, if I think about it. Like I said, it wouldn't be Fairy Tail without a little mayhem all the time. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

"Sounded like it came from your house," Natsu cringed, "Shall we?"

"Let's."

The two of us ran toward my house and, of course, chaos ensues. I don't know why I'd be surprised. Just outside my house was Gray trapping himself in an igloo. Did I want to know? No. Did I need to know? Unfortunately. I snuck around to the opening in the back and knocked, making Gray jump six feet out of his skin.

"What do you want?!" Gray squealed. I've never heard his voice go up so high.

"Wow," Natsu scoffed, "We were here to help you, you jerk. Now, I'm not so sure."

"Natsu," I settled him, "Don't be so petty. What's going on, Gray?"

"Gray?" a soft voice called out to him, "Where are you, my darling?"

"No!" Gray defended himself, staying isolated in his cozy, little igloo, "Leave me alone!"

"I'm not sure I follow," I gave him a look, hearing another crash.

"You could've come to stay at our guild hall," the girl walked out, her hand against the ice, "Why are you here?"

"Could you stop trashing my house?" I begged, "It's bad enough I'm not getting my security deposit back. I don't need it to be a pile of rubble, too. I'm pretty sure my landlord would evict me for something like that."

"Your house…?" her eyes turned very angry, very quickly, "YOU'RE STAYING WITH ANOTHER GIRL, GRAY? ARE YOU INTERESTED? ARE YOU MY ROMANTIC RIVAL?"

"No!" I assured, "I'm not…"

"YOU ARE A ROMANTIC RIVAL! I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO STEAL MY GRAY FROM ME! WE SHALL ENGAGE IN BATTLE!"

"What?" I just met this chick and she wants to fight me? And sees me as a romantic rival for _Gray's_ affections? She's nuts. But I guess love makes people do some crazy things, "No. You don't have to worry about Gray and me."

"There's no talking sense into her, Lucy," Gray promised, "I've tried. Several times. Even before you were back."

"Does that mean…?" I thought for a minute or two. Wait. I remembered back to Natsu's second letter. This must be Juvia, "SHE'S ELEMENT FOUR?!"

"You…" her anger turned into fluster faster than she got angry, "You talk about me, Gray…?"

"Yeah!" Gray reinforced the ice, "It's hard not to bring up a stalker in conversation!"

"Juvia," a familiar, thundering voice boomed, "Leave the poor guy alone. He's not into you. Move on."

"Gajeel!" I beamed.

"Hey, princess," he gave me a nudge.

"Princess?!" Natsu started sounding like Juvia.

"Yeah," I brushed him off, "He's always called me princess. At first, it kind of drove me nuts, but it grew on me. What brings you back to town?"

"Dragging Juvia out of your guild hall," Gajeel chuckled, "She's kind of clingy."

"Kind of clingy?!" Gray squeaked.

"Gray is mine!" Juvia declared, "Why don't you understand, my love? That one day, we shall be together. Forever…You and I."

"Alright, tiger," Gajeel threw her over his shoulder, "Let's get you home, yeah?"

"Gajeel, put me down!" Why do I feel like I've heard that before? Something about it feels vaguely familiar.

"Sorry if she caused you any trouble, man," he knocked on Gray's igloo, "It's safe to come out."

"Thank you," Gray relaxed, dematerializing his barrier.

"And Lucy," Gajeel shot me a wink, "You might want to take care of Salamander before he combusts."

"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!" And there's the Natsu we all know.

"You can say that again," I took his hand, "Come on. We should be getting to bed anyway. It's getting pretty late and I'm tired. I'm sure Happy's going to kill us for leaving him all day. See you later, Gajeel!"

"Night, Lucy," Gajeel sent Natsu and me off and I dragged him into my bedroom. Natsu needed to cool off after something like that. Being around Gajeel made him punchy. And by punchy, I mean, he needed to punch something shortly after being around Gajeel. Although, him calling me princess didn't help matters either. If I didn't know any better, I'd think Gajeel did that on purpose just to get Natsu riled up.

"Where does that guy get off?" Natsu grumbled, throwing himself on my bed while Happy and Plue slept together off in the corner. I needed a camera, "Calling you princess. You're not his princess."

"No," I curled into his chest, "I'm not. Now, what were you trying to tell me before?"

"I told you," he rolled over, "Don't worry about it. Good night!"

And there he goes. Natsu's fast asleep. Either way, I nuzzled my face in his shoulder blades, perfectly content with the world. Like a roaring woodfire. I think, out of everything I missed being away from the guild and stuck in that horrendous tower, I missed this part most of all. And now, I truly felt like I was home.

 **A/N: So, Natsu and Lucy's first date went pretty well, don't you think? Sorry, their not date. Totally not date. And with a dash of poor little Gray getting stalked by Juvia. Think of it this way, we got Gajeel back in Magnolia! And Natsu a little jealous. Nothing too extravagant. Just a nice, little filler chapter for some downtime. Lucy's been through enough in this story and she deserved to kick her feet up for a while. Now, I don't want to say this now, but this story's about to come to its natural end soon, kids. We'll all be sad and I'll miss you all terribly. As of right now, I don't have plans for a sequel, but I also said the same thing once about a certain Black Butler fic…That may or may not have gotten three sequels after the first one, so that's always subject to change.**

 **I have a few stories that are going to be coming to their end soon, most recent the Zelda fic's about to wrap up maybe tomorrow or next week. Depends on how much I get done tomorrow. The Yuri on Ice fic's got a little ways to go yet. The Supernatural fic's nearly done. My original story I post on FictionPress every Friday (hintity, hint hint. Shameless promo.) is nearly done, I think. I'd have to check my planner for that. But that'll open up a bunch of spots in my weekly update cycle. What to do then…Maybe I could actually get started on that YouTube channel I've been talking about (Actually, I've already kind of started on that. I've been plotting out the first video and working on the makeshift set for the past couple weeks. Finished a set piece yesterday? Day before? Saturday!). Because God knows that's going to be one of those things that'll drain me just as bad as this. But! Totally worth it. See you next chapter! xx**


	18. Let's Go to the Beach

It all still felt like a dream. Waking up not in the tower, but in my own house. Waking up to Natsu, not Gajeel. Waking up a free woman to do as I please, not my father's property. I'm not sure if I will ever get used to this feeling. All I knew was that I never want it to go away. At least Natsu was still asleep. After all we've been through, I'm sure he could stand the rest. Our day off yesterday was terribly needed in the worst way. I'm sure it helped. To make things even better, I moved closer into Natsu's chest. This. This was home.

"Mmm..." Natsu groaned in his sleep, "No..."

No? What's that supposed to mean? I know it wasn't directed at me. At least, I didn't think it was. Was it because I wanted to get a little closer? No. There's no way. Color me curious. Not to mention, Natsu whining and whimpering while he's sleeping wasn't exactly an everyday thing.

"I'm not..." his embrace around me tightened, "Letting you go...Never making...Mistake again..."

Natsu, what happened to you while I was gone? I think you were more broken up than your letters let on.

Happy did say Natsu was a bit of a mess after I left. But if I would've stuck around, Phantom Lord would've torn Fairy Tail apart. Granted, we have some of the strongest wizards in the world in our guild, but the Element Four could be horrifying. And now, with Gajeel on my side and Juvia drooling over Gray these days, I think we should be pretty safe. That still doesn't tell me what's going on in Natsu's head. Even after all the mess we went through, there's no telling what he's trying to forget.

"Oh," Natsu's eyes popped open, "Good morning, Lucy."

"Morning," I looked him over, "Are you alright, Natsu?"

"Fine," he shook me off, "Why?"

"Well," I knew he was good for bottling things, but that can't be healthy for him, "You talk in your sleep. Did you know that?"

"Can't say I did," Natsu stretched, "What do I say? Anything interesting? It's probably deep and philosophical."

"Actually," I bit the inside of my cheek, "You told me you weren't letting me go ever again."

"Oh," he hid his face, "Must've been talking about the giant donut I was dreaming about. A guy could live in the hole in the middle. You should've seen it, Lucy. Size of an inner tube!"

"Sounds like a dream." Also sounds like a bunch of hooey.

"You know what?" Natsu regained his composure, "Let's get a job today."

"Really?" I wondered, "So soon?"

"We took yesterday off," he pointed out, "What better way to get back in the swing of things than to dive in head first?"

What can I say? His optimism was contagious, "Something easy. I don't think we're ready for a big job quite yet."

"You could say that again," a little voice piped up from the chair in the corner.

"Hey," Natsu chimed, scooping up his best friend, "Morning, Happy."

"Don't give me that," Happy wiggled his way out of Natsu's arms, "Where were you two yesterday?"

"I left you a note," Natsu assured, "We were just in town. You could've come and found us."

"Happy," I worried, "Were you at least nice to Plue?"

"Plue?" Happy looked at me weird, "Was that the little snowman guy's name?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "And he's not a snowman. He's a celestial spirit. Now, were you nice to him?"

"Yes," Happy groaned, "I was nice to him. He was alright."

"Good," I beamed, "Plue's one of my newer contracts and he's a little fragile. He must have gone back to his gate."

"Hey, Natsu," Happy took a seat on my bed with me, "Did you tell her yet?"

"SHUT UP, HAPPY!" Natsu snapped, diving back onto the bed. He nearly sent the both of us flying. Falling onto my floor because Natsu couldn't control himself was not on my list of things to do today.

"Ok," Happy understood, hiding behind me, "I see I hit a touchy subject. Let me guess. Rejected?"

"SHUT UP, HAPPY!" If he didn't quit, Natsu could very easily kill him.

"Who are you telling what?" I asked, hoping that would take some of the heat off.

"Nothing," Natsu shut his mouth quick. Weird.

"Ok," I dropped it, not believing him for a second. What are you hiding, Natsu...?

"Come on!" he got a sudden burst of energy out of nowhere, "I thought we were looking for a job today."

I quickly got out of bed and dressed and followed Natsu to the job board. That was so conveniently set up in my living room. I wonder how long it'll take for the guild hall to get fixed. Not that I don't love having my friends here, but some solitude at the end of the day would be nice. I'm sure it won't be much longer. At least I hope it won't be much longer.

"Good morning, you three," Mirajane greeted us with a smile. I guess having the guild here had its perks. Her sunshine-y disposition was a good boost right away in the morning, "Looking for a job?"

"Sure am," I confirmed, "Anything easy with a good payout on the board?"

"I could look," she offered, skimming the wanted ads.

Then, my front door flung open. More guild members piling in. Or someone placing ad. At this point, I stopped keeping track. But instead of other Fairy Tail members, a bigger shadow was cast on my floor. I recognized that silhouette anywhere. I should. It stood at the foot of my bed for a week straight. Luckily, Natsu was still pretty fixated on the job board.

"Hey, princess," Gajeel greeted me, "The guild hall's downsized."

"The guild hall is my house," I smiled, "Someone came in and blew up our old one. It's still under construction."

"Sorry about that," he winced, "We got bills to pay and mouths to feed, too."

"So," I wondered, "What brings you here, Gajeel? I wouldn't think you're looking to place an ad with a rival guild."

"No," Gajeel shook his head, "I got a bad feeling and thought I'd come tell you."

"Isn't that something you should talk over with a professional?" I jabbed.

"Not this one," he elaborated, "Something feels off about you."

"Like what?" I started getting nervous. Gajeel's instincts were just as reliable as Natsu's.

"Hey, Lucy!" Speak of the excited, then quickly angered devil, "What are you doing here?!"

"I've come to talk to a friend," Gajeel got in his face, "Is that a problem, Salamander?"

"Gajeel!" I stopped him, "Both of you, can't you just suck it up? For my sake?"

"I'm not the one with the problem," Gajeel passed off the blame, glaring through Natsu.

"You are the problem!" Natsu retaliated, "After all you've put our guild through, you think you can waltz in here like nothing happened?"

"NATSU!" I conked him on the head, "Now, what did you want to tell me?"

"I think I found us a job," he rubbed the growing bump I was kind enough to gift him with.

"Awesome!" I cheered up, "What's the job?"

"Some guy lost his girlfriend's engagement ring," Natsu reported, "You did say something easy."

"Sounds easy enough," I approved.

"But I didn't even get to the best part," he went on, his mood starting to lighten, "The guy lost it on the beach! Work and play!"

"Sounds like a plan!" I definitely approved. I haven't been to the beach since I was a kid. We had a beach house we'd go to every summer when Mom was still alive. I missed going to the beach. I saw this as a golden opportunity. I'm sure it'd be ok, "Gajeel, care to join us?"

"He can't," Natsu scoffed, "He's not a..."

His face went completely pale as he caught a glimpse of Gajeel's shoulder...with a familiar symbol embedded into his skin, "Natsu...? You ok?"

"HOLD THE PHONE!" he blew up, "SINCE WHEN DID YOU JOIN OUR GUILD?!"

"Settle down, Natsu," Master Makarov added a layer to his previous bump, "Gajeel's been a member since yesterday."

"WHY IS HE...?"

"IF YOU'D LET ME FINISH!" he snapped, "Yesterday, while you and Lucy were out, Gajeel came here saying how he renounced Phantom Lord."

"That means so much," Natsu grumbled.

"Why do you have to be so thick?" Master Makarov growled, ready to throw Natsu off the roof. That still had yet to be fixed, but I digress, "I don't know if thick is the right word to use here. Maybe painfully stubborn!"

"I'm not stubborn!"

I couldn't help but laugh hysterically, "Yes, you are, Natsu. There is no denying that."

"Thanks, Lucy," he retreated, "The support is appreciated."

"Think of it this way," Master Makarov put it into perspective, "I know you don't like Gajeel."

"Don't like is one way of putting it," Gajeel agreed.

"But," he continued, "Did he not offer to fight by your side at Heartfilia Mansion? Did he not take care of Lucy for us while we couldn't? Did he not set her free? Did he not offer his life for hers in the face of her father? He's even offered his assistance in rebuilding the guild hall. I'd say he has more than earned a spot in our guild. Besides, that decision isn't up to you."

"He might be in our guild," Natsu dug his heels in, "But there's no way I'm teaming up with him."

"Feeling's mutual," Gajeel pouted. Boys...I swear, "Look, I'm only here looking out for Lucy."

"Who said we needed you?" Natsu scoffed, "I'm the one that looks out for Lucy."

"Uh..." I stepped in before their egos could tear my house apart, "What about Lucy looking out for Lucy? Hi. I'm still right here. Natsu, can I talk to you over here for a second?"

"Sure," I grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him away from Gajeel, "Ouch! Grabbing a little tight, Luce."

"Seriously," I scolded, "What is your problem with Gajeel?"

"We can't trust him, Lucy," Natsu kept his voice down, "Are we just going to forget what he's done? He kidnapped you and you expect me to be perfectly ok with him suddenly joining the guild?"

"He didn't kidnap me," I clarified, "I went with him willingly."

"Practically at gunpoint."

"Let. Me. Finish," I rolled my eyes, "That's one of your biggest problems, Natsu. You keep cutting people off. Now, when I say I went willingly, I did. I didn't want anything else to happen to you guys, so I sacrificed myself for the sake of the guild. Sue me for being so selfish."

"You..." Natsu started coming around, "Weren't..."

"I know I wasn't," I growled, "That was sarcasm. Gajeel took care of me while I was locked up in that tower. You don't know him like I do. If you give him a chance, not thinking of him as he was with Phantom Lord, but as a member of Fairy Tail, he's not as bad as you seem to think he is."

"How do you know him?" he jumped back on the defensive.

"Hi, Gajeel," Levy chimed behind us.

"Oh," Gajeel jumped, turning bright cherry red. If I didn't know any better, I'd think a little blood trickled out of his nose, too, "Hi, Levy."

"Trust me, Natsu," I promised, "There's absolutely no way there would ever be anything going on between Gajeel and me."

"And how do you know that?" Natsu wondered, "How do you know he's not going to come in and sweep you off your feet? Then, he's going to keep you locked away from the rest of us, too!"

"We'll call it intuition," I watched over his shoulder as Gajeel made awkward passes at Levy and Levy eating it up, "Now, come on. Didn't you say you got us a job? Grab Happy and let's go!"

"Alright," he caved, "But Gajeel's not coming with us!"

"Whatever you say," I let him have that one. If we were going to the beach, I didn't want to spend all day separating those two to keep them from killing each other. I said I wanted an easy job today, not babysitting.

With the team all together, we took off for the Magnolia beach. We couldn't have asked for a better day for a job like this. The weather was perfect and the beach wasn't overly crowded. Absolutely perfect. And so, we began our sweep of the beach near the shoreline for this poor man's engagement ring. I hope he hasn't proposed yet. That'd be awkward to ask her to marry him and he doesn't even have her ring. I might not be the type for materialistic gestures like that, but if I did actually get married and he didn't have the ring on the spot, I don't know what I'd do.

"Hey, Lucy..." Natsu broke the tense silence between us, "About yesterday..."

My ears perked up, "What about yesterday?"

"Remember how I told you I had that weird dream?" he started to sweat a little, "And I told you not to worry about it?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "What about it?"

"The thing that made it weird..." Natsu stuttered. He needed to spit it out. The anticipation was killing me.

"What is it?" I stopped digging and sat him down. Poor thing looked like he was about to pass out.

"In this dream," he went on, pushing through, "There was me...And you..."

"And me?" I gave him a look, "We spend a lot of time together. It's no surprise I pop up in your dreams, too."

"But this was different," Natsu bit his lip, "It was me. And you. And we..."

CRASH!

"I swear!" I instinctively grabbed for my key ring, "We can't catch a break!"

"Where was that?" he snapped out of whatever haze he was in, scanning the beach for the noise.

"Looks like a couple of lifeguard towers fell," Happy flew up, checking the damage.

Grab.

"HEY!" I squealed as a strong pair of arms wrapped around my shoulders from behind, "LET ME GO! NATSU!"

"It's time to come home, Lucy." Gajeel was right. Something bad was looming overhead. My father will never give up on me, will he?

"Let her go!" Natsu demanded.

"I don't think so," his embrace only tightened the more I struggled. To think, the same exact motion that brought me such a comfort this morning would make my stomach turn now, "You couldn't be a good girl for me, Lucy. You're not going back to your tower. You're going somewhere no one would be able to find you."

"No, I'm not!" I kicked, trying to get out of this somehow.

"You'll have no contact with the outside world. Paul will be waiting for you when we get there. By this time next year, you will have given me a grandchild. Hopefully, this one won't have their mother's rebellious spirit. You couldn't just play your part, could you?"

"Absolutely not!" I fought, feeling through my key ring for the exact key I needed. As much as he feared Taurus, I don't think Taurus is the one for the job this time. I needed something a little more fearsome. I dragged my father closer to the water. She did say that if it wasn't life threatening near the ocean, she'd kill me.

"Stop struggling!"

"Natsu!" I tried to distract the man on my back, "Help me!"

"Get off her!" Natsu tried to physically fight him, but to no avail. Oddly enough, although he didn't look like much, my father was a lot stronger than what people would think.

"What a pathetic excuse for a wizard," Father wrote him off, "I can't believe I ever thought he'd be able to protect you, Lucy. He can't even save you from me. Now, it's time for us to go."

"Open!" I called out, "Gate of the water bearer, Aquarius!"

I dropped the gate key in the water and the celestial gate opened, casting its beautiful bright light. I don't think he realizes what kind of wizard I am. Celestial magic was kind of my thing. And right on schedule, a stunning mermaid creature popped up from her gate, just as cranky as ever.

"Ugh," Aquarius groaned, "This better be good, Lucy. Are you dying?"

"I'll wish I was!"

"What do you..." she caught a glimpse of my father out of the corner of her eye, "Jude Heartfilia..."

"Do I know you?" Father gave her a look.

"I don't make it a habit to make friends with humans," Aquarius brushed him off, "But I have heard some horror stories about you. And I remember you plain as day."

"How?"

"I told Layla she could do better," she shrugged, "And I see you haven't changed. Don't get me wrong. There is nothing I love more than a day off, but I really don't like when people are told what they can and can't do with their lives by other people. Everyone's entitled to their own life, to do with it whatever they want. Lucy might be...well, there's no dancing around it. She's flat out annoying."

"Thanks, Aquarius," I scoffed, "You know how to make a girl feel good about herself."

"But she's still a person," Aquarius continued, "And a talented wizard, whether you like it or not. Your mother would be proud, Lucy. The day before Layla gave Lucy my gate key, she asked me to take care of her. Because she knew Lucy would want to take the same path."

"Her life is none of your business," Father stood his ground, "Nor was Layla's. Go back to your gate!"

"No, it doesn't work like that," she took my side, "I don't have a contract with you, so I don't have to do a thing you say. However, I have a promise to fulfill and other things to do today, so if we could get this done and over with as soon as possible, that'd be great."

"Go back to your gate, spirit!"

"Don't say I didn't give you an out," Aquarius conjured a giant wave behind her.

"AQUARIUS, DON'T KILL HIM!" I begged.

"I won't," she threw her tidal wave at my father. And, in turn, me! It got him to let me go, so I can't complain. Once we were separated and Aquarius had tossed me on the boardwalk, she swept my father up in a cyclone, "Are you going to leave her alone?"

"Yes!" Father squeaked, terrified for his life.

"Do you promise me?" Aquarius bounced him around, juggling him from cyclone to cyclone.

"YES!"

"Do you want me to put you down?"

"PLEASE!"

"Aquarius," I ordered, giggling under my breath, "Put him down."

"Fine," she dropped him. As he fell to the ground, my father made a giant hole in the sand, "It's good to know you listen to me, Lucy."

"What do you mean?" I wondered.

"It's good to stretch my fins out," Aquarius splashed me with her tail, drenching me some more, "It's better than your bathtub."

"We've come a long way."

"Now," she pulled my father out of the hole, "I might not like her, but if you do anything stupid to Lucy again, I will find out. And we'll be right back here. We wouldn't want that now, would we?"

"No," Father whimpered.

"Leave." Her people skills might be severely lacking, but I loved having Aquarius around. And just like that, my father was gone. If he ever wanted to reconcile one day and maybe apologize, I'll gladly open my door to him. I'm not saying it won't take a lot of work to repair the bridge he's burned, but any progress would be good progress.

"Are you alright, Lucy?" Natsu ran to my side.

"Yeah," I nodded, "Thank you, Aquarius."

"You're welcome," Aquarius splashed around a little while longer.

"Hey, Aquarius," I thought, "About what you said to my father..."

"I said a lot to your father," she pointed out, "Now, whatever you're going to say, make it quick. I don't want to be here anymore."

"Did my mother really tell you to take care of me?" I asked, getting a little lump in my throat.

"Yes," Aquarius nodded, "One of those deathbed confessional things. Your mother gave you my key for two reasons. Because she knew I'd take care of you, whether I wanted to or not, and because she saw how your father had changed from when they met. She knew he wouldn't let you practice magic, but you had too much potential to become a great wizard. That's why she read you all those celestial spell books when you were younger. Make her proud."

"I will," I promised, choking up a bit.

"Can I go now?" she groaned, "All this emotional stuff is going to make me nauseous."

"Go ahead," I allowed, "I'll call you if I need you again."

As Aquarius went back through her gate to the spirit world, something shiny washed up on the beach. Natsu knelt down and picked it up out of the wet sand, "Hey, look! It's that guy's engagement ring."

All of a sudden, loud applause started roaring from the beach. Was that for us? All we did was find this guy's ring. It wasn't that big of a…But then, I realized what this looked like. I was standing while Natsu was on one knee with a ring in his hand. Do they think what I think they're thinking…? Uh…I scrambled, "It's not what you think! It's not like that!"

But as hard as I tried to get them to stop, the cheering only grew louder. Awesome. Can't wait to see how long this "news" takes to get to the guild. Just fantastic. Natsu stood up and took my hand, "Hey, Lucy…"

"What?" I was a little preoccupied with the sudden crowd applauding my not engagement. Yet, Natsu managed to calm me down.

"Can you meet me tonight?" he asked, "The boardwalk around eight?"

"Um…" I wasn't sure where this was coming from, but far be it for me to say no to him, "I'll say yes on one condition."

"What's that?"

"If you get me out of here as soon as humanly possible."

"Deal."

 **A/N: And so, Lucy's shenanigans with her dad are taken care of, courtesy of everyone's favorite bundle of crank, Aquarius. See? Sometimes, when she's being scary, she can be helpful. I love Aquarius. She makes me smile in the weirdest way. Now, I think I might be able to end this story next week. But even though it's coming to its end, there's going to be one last chapter after the story ends. Kind of an epilogue situation. Sort of like what I did with (if you read) I think Halfmetal Heart. If you're into Fullmetal Alchemist and you're looking for something to read after this, it's kind of similar, but kind of different. It's a sort of working love story. Let's just call it that. But! I look forward to seeing you all next week when we find out what's going down at the boardwalk. You guys think Natsu's capable of making his own fireworks? It's possible…See you next chapter! xx**


	19. Slumber Parties and Sunsets

The boardwalk? Why the boardwalk? We were just there earlier today. Why would Natsu want to meet me on the boardwalk? Whatever his reasoning, I wanted to look cute. It's been a while since I got to willingly cute myself up. And the best part of the guild hall being moved to my house temporarily, I had all of my best girlfriends at arm's reach for second and third opinions. Levy kicked her leg up on my bed while Erza stole Happy's usual sleeping chair. Unfortunately, Mirajane had a guild to watch over or she would've been in here, too.

I could've used all the moral support I could get. My closet was looking awfully sad and all the clothing shops in town were closed. I wonder if Cancer could do something about it. Or my wardrobe was beyond saving. I threw myself on my bed, careful not to fall on Levy, "This is hopeless."

"You're stressing too much over this, Lucy," Erza settled me.

"The question is why..." Levy dug deeper, "Is there something you're not telling us, Lucy?"

"No," I mumbled into my pillows.

"Levy's got a point," Erza agreed, "You didn't even tell us what you have planned tonight."

"I'm meeting someone on the boardwalk," I told them, "It's just a meeting."

"At this time of night?" Levy smirked, "Oh, I don't think so. This is a date."

"It's not a date!" I shot up.

"It's totally a date!" she squeaked, "Lucy! Who is it? Who's the lucky guy you're having this alleged meeting with?"

"It's not a date," I groaned, "And it's no one you know."

"In other words," Erza deduced, "It's someone we know. I have a theory, given she only really hangs around one other person."

"So do I," Levy agreed, "It's Natsu, isn't it?"

I loved my friends, but if Levy wasn't already banged up and Erza wasn't terrifying, I'd beat them senseless. Curse Levy's investigative nature, "It might be Natsu. And it's still not a date."

"I hate to break it to you," Erza pointed out, "But it's a date. The lateness of the hour, the fact that you're frantic. There's no way it isn't. Why would a date with Natsu get you this nerved up?"

"You two are reading way too far into this," I thumbed through my closet some more, hoping something would jump out at me.

"Hey, Lucy..." Levy had a dirty grin on her face. That always made me nervous, "Can I ask you something?"

"What?" I treaded lightly.

"Are you in love with Natsu?" I could've sworn my heart stopped. My cheeks were lit on fire.

"WHAT?!" I squealed.

"Is it safe to assume that's a yes?" Erza wondered.

"NO!" I buried myself in the rack in my closet, "Why would you say that?"

"I don't know," Levy shrugged, "Natsu seemed a little twitchy earlier, too. Like there's something on his mind, but he doesn't want to tell anyone."

"Really?" I peeked out, getting further in my own head about this. Natsu tried telling me something the other day before my house was the battlefield between Gray and Juvia. And I'd be lying if I said that hasn't been burning in the back of my mind ever since.

"Really," she nodded.

"Well," I asked, "What about you, Levy?"

"What about me?" I piqued her interest.

"You and Gajeel!" I retaliated, making her blush just as hard.

"Gajeel?" Erza worried, "Like, the Gajeel that put you in your leg brace, Gajeel?"

"And newest member of the guild," I pointed out, "I know a lot of people hold grudges against Gajeel, but trust me. He's ok."

"Gajeel and I are up in the air yet," Levy explained, "We might be a thing one day. We might not be. He and I agreed that we wouldn't have our first date until I'm off my crutches and out of my brace. Don't change the subject, Lucy! You're trying to take the heat off yourself by putting it on me. Not cool. Answer the question."

"I..." I stammered a bit, "I don't know. I mean, he's my best friend. No offense, Levy."

"None taken."

"But," I started to relax. In that moment, I caught myself smiling, "He's always been there since this whole mess started. Ever since I was in that tower. Natsu's done things for me that I could never repay him for."

"That's what a guild is for," Erza confirmed, "We're more than just a guild. We're a family."

"I know," I felt a strange warmth radiating in my chest, " Sure, he's there for me and he'd do anything for me, but he also knows when I can do it myself. And somehow, even when I'm in a position where I don't think I can, he manages to make me smile. There was this one time where I was crying in my bedroom at the mansion and Natsu made it all better. That was the night he brought me to the guild hall. And I met all of you guys."

"Lucy..." Levy gave me a nudge, "Think about what you're saying for a second. Really think about it."

"Ok...?" All of a sudden, it hit me. A realization punched me square in the jaw, nearly knocking the wind out of me, "My god, I'm in love with Natsu, aren't I?"

"I think so," she whispered, her grin growing three sizes.

"Aww," Erza gushed, "That's so sweet."

I wished I had something on Erza like I did Levy, but Erza's kind of an enigma. She was always so focused on work. I fell back onto my bed, "So, what do I do?"

"Go to him," she insisted, "What's the worst that could happen?"

"That's not something we say lightly anymore," I grumbled, "The last time he tried telling me what was on his mind, my father came and ruined everything. The time before that? Gray was having romantic troubles and I got another hole in my roof. If the swear jar wasn't getting used to fix them, we'd be out on our butts on the street."

"Your landlord's ok with this?" Levy hoped.

"As long as it gets fixed and he doesn't have to pay for it."

"But in all seriousness, Lucy," Erza continued, "The worst Natsu can do is say no or turn you away. Although, I don't think he'd do something like that."

"Why?"

"Think of it this way," she pondered, "Where does Natsu sleep every single night?"

"My room."

"Where in your room?"

"My bed."

"And where do you sleep, Lucy?"

"My bed."

"With?"

"Natsu."

"I think I get what Erza's trying to say," Levy assumed, "It's not just you that's in love with Natsu."

"Is there someone else?" I wondered, "I did hear the woman at the cafe say something about a girl named Lisanna."

Both Levy and Erza went quiet. Was it something I said? Is Natsu with someone already and that's what he's been trying to tell me? Way to go, Lucy. Way to go after something you can't have. Erza broke the silence, "No. Natsu and Lisanna were never together. She was special to Natsu, but unfortunately, we lost Lisanna a long time ago. As a courtesy, we don't mention it around Elfman or Mirajane."

"Why?" I asked.

"She was their sister," Levy added, "She did love Natsu, but that was one sided. He thought of her more as a pestering little sister than anything. But we've never seen Natsu like this. Not even around Lisanna. But that's not what Erza was trying to say."

"There isn't another woman?" I settled myself down.

"No," Erza assured, "There's only you."

"And maybe Virgo," I giggled, trying to break through the tension, "But that's to be expected. She is adorable."

"Virgo?"

"One of my celestial spirits," I clarified, "I got her when Natsu, Happy, and I worked the Everlue job."

"Hey, Lucy," Levy hobbled over to my closet, dragging her leg behind her, "I think I got it."

She pulled out a pink sweater and a white skirt that she knew I loved. Natsu may be my best friend, but as far as girl friends go, Levy knew how I ticked, "Perfect."

"Go get dressed," she demanded, "You wouldn't want to keep Natsu waiting."

"He did say eight," I remembered, taking my clothes from her, "What time is it now?"

"It's shortly before," Erza checked my clock, "You'll have to be quick."

"Lucky for me," I beamed, grabbing my key ring off my dresser, "I know someone that can do quick."

"And who's that, Lucy?" Levy asked.

"Open!" I grabbed the key with the loop-dee-loops on it (Thanks, Natsu. Now, I can't think of it any other way.), "Gate of the giant crab, Cancer!"

Out of the bright light, a half man, half crab popped out, making his entrance, "Hey, Lucy, baby. What can I do for you?"

"I have a date tonight," I filled him in, "And I have almost no time to get ready. Think you could help a girl out?"

"It'd be my pleasure," Cancer dragged me into my bathroom and got to work. I saw what he did with my dress the night of my alleged engagement party. I had no doubt in my mind that he could work miracles with me, "Who's the lucky guy, baby?"

"I don't think you've met Natsu," I thought back, "You might have a while ago, but I'm not sure."

"We've never had the pleasure," he got to work.

"He introduced us in a way," I thought, "If Natsu wouldn't have told me what the summoning conditions were for you, we never would've made our contract that day."

"Sounds like a good guy," Cancer approved, "I like him already."

"He is," I sighed out, "Maybe even too good for me. I've put him through a lot of trouble."

"And you know he'd do it again in a heartbeat!" Levy called from my bedroom, "Don't give me that!"

"Your friend has a point, baby," Cancer agreed.

Is it everyone turns on Lucy when she gets down on herself day and I missed the memo? Or the more likely, Levy knowing me better than I know myself, "I know he would and that's what worries me. What if we get into something worse than my sham wedding and my father having temporary control over one of the strongest guilds in Fiore?"

"Then, you'll have the rest of the guild to back you up," Erza promised, "You're overthinking again, Lucy. Just relax and enjoy your night."

"You're already done, Miss Lucy," Cancer let me go, "And you're absolutely adorable."

"Thank you," I blushed a little, checking myself over. Cancer didn't do a half bad job. Then again, he never disappoints.

"Good luck tonight!" he slipped back into his gate and left us alone.

"What time is it?" I couldn't see my clock from my bathroom.

"Almost eight," Erza reported, "I suggest you get going. Natsu can be very impatient and we wouldn't want him getting into trouble out of boredom. That's when repairs to the guild hall need to be made."

"Right," I grabbed my bag and threw it around my shoulder, "Pray for me."

"Good luck, Lucy!"

Well...Here goes nothing. While the rest of the guild was either out or napping (or in Cana's case, passed out), I stepped out for a minute or two. This was it. God only knows what Natsu's going to tell me. As long as it's not that he hates me or blames me for the guild hall or that he's kicking me off our team, I think I'll be fine. No, Lucy. You can't think like that. Erza's right. I am overthinking. It's fine. We're fine. Everything's good. Think of the positives.

Repairs on my house start in the morning. Gray and Natsu are paying for them. I'm about to go hang out with my best friend at one of my favorite places in Magnolia. There's never a dull moment when Natsu and I hang out. As long as we don't have any interruptions again, tonight should go well. At least I hope so. I'm exhausted and could use a break. Like the one Natsu and I had the other day. Without Gray and Juvia in a lovers' quarrel.

"There you are!" Natsu waved me down, that giant, infectious grin on his face, "It's about time, Lucy."

"I'm only a couple minutes late," I defended, "You make it sound like I took forever."

"I've been here for the last half hour!"

"And whose fault is that?" I stuck my tongue out at him, "I think it's safe to say I won."

"Don't start," Natsu rolled his eyes, "Come on. I got us a table."

"Ok," I followed him to the outdoor bistro just off the boardwalk. A small table was already set up for us. Two glasses of water, a single white rose in the middle. Simple, but elegant, "So, what did you want to tell me?"

"Oh yeah," he took a long, heavy drink from his water. By the looks of him, he was about to come out of his skin, "You know that dream I told you about?"

"I remember something about that."

"Well," Natsu began, "There was me...And you...Happy, too. We had a nice white house, blue shutters, a flowerbed in the front. A view of the ocean from the front window. You should've seen it, Lucy. You would've loved it."

"I love it already," I smiled, imagining it in my head. Lilies. Lilies in the flowerbed. And tulips. I could almost feel a warm breeze on my skin.

"But the thing is," he went on, "We had a life together, you and me. We were happy and everything was perfect."

"Well, yeah," I nodded, "We're a team, Natsu. We always have been since the day we met."

"Maybe..." Natsu's cheeks started to turn color, "Maybe one day we could...Be more than just a team."

Now, I understood what Erza was trying to say. It wasn't just me in love with Natsu. I could see it in his eyes. There was much more than just fire in them, "Is there something you'd care to tell me?"

"Your wedding was a dumpster fire," he settled a bit, "You do know that, right?"

"Better than anyone."

"Do you think..." Natsu wondered, "Do you think you'd go through something like that again?"

"Not exactly like that," I thought it over, "But if you're asking if I'd ever get married again, it's possible. Depends on the person, I guess."

"You know," he smiled, "You really looked like a princess that day."

"Thank you," I started blushing, too, "But you were right. I never was the type of girl to go for a prince. That's not my thing. It's too much of a fairytale for me."

"Oh..." The wind from Natsu's sails stopped blowing. We're losing steam here. I had to do something quick.

"Do you know why?"

"No."

"Because," I took his hand, "While the prince is up in his ivory towers and the princess is locked in the dungeon, she has her dragon watching her back. And he can protect her just as well as fight alongside her. The prince wouldn't even give her a second look, but the dragon could never take his eyes off the princess."

"Lucy..." Natsu's hand started to shake in mine. I did my best to hold it steady, "I..."

"Go on..."

"I love you, Lucy." If I didn't know any better, I'd think Natsu would've had an easier time jumping into a volcano. But it was about time he said it. I've had my suspicions for a while. Ever since the night my heating pad went out, I had a feeling that it'd come to this one day. I'm so glad this isn't one sided.

"You..." But that didn't mean it didn't still feel like the most painless slap in the face, "You love me?"

"Yeah," he broke eye contact with me, staring down at his feet, "Don't feel like you're obligated to say it back or anything. You know what? Forget I said it."

"I love you, too, Natsu," I put his mind at ease, "Longer than I thought. I can hide it from everyone else, but I couldn't lie to you like that."

"So..." Natsu sang, "Could I...maybe kiss you?"

"Absolutely." Like I would say no to that. It's the only thing that could top this night off perfectly. Granted, it tasted like a woodfire, but I'm not surprised. Honestly, I'd be lying if I said I didn't like it. Once we pulled away from each other, the weight of the world fell off my shoulders, "I'm so glad you crashed my wedding."

"Me, too," Natsu leaned his head onto mine. Almost better than a hug.

"You know," I thought back, "A couple nights before my wedding, I did have a dream that you'd crash my wedding."

"But I did crash your wedding."

"It wasn't like that, though," I told, "You crashed my wedding in a totally different way. I was telling Paul that I didn't want to go through with it, but then, you were standing in his place and telling me you wouldn't make me do this in the first place. It was weird. But it was pretty amazing."

"Aww!" Natsu groaned, "That would've been so much cooler than what we did! I could've roughed him up first. Then, I could've tied him up in the tower for poetic justice reasons. And I could've swept you off your feet right then and there. Why didn't you tell me about that? I would've been more than happy to do it!"

Yep. That was the dork I loved, people. And that dork loved me.

 **A/N: Hi there, lovelies. In case you're curious, I actually started writing this on Friday and finished it up on Saturday in a caffeine fueled energy spike that I have no idea where it came from. I'm jazzed all over the place and I think I want to run! Lalalala! _Ms. Olivier, are you alright?_ Define alright, hypothetical assistant. _I have a name, ma'am._ You do? _Yes. It's Janet. You never bothered to ask._ And I still didn't, but now I know! _I think it'd be best to go lay down._ Are you kidding? I have an Ouran update to start on (In case you didn't know, I'm bringing my Ouran fic back! For those of you that don't know about it to begin with, I highly recommend it. It's gotten a lot of positive buzz on it and if you're struggling with any sort of mental issues, it's like a warm hug for all who need it.) and if I'm lucky, I could have that done today, too! I wonder how many chapters I can do in a day…I remember when I left for Michigan a couple years ago, I think I got three done, so I could keep posting while I was gone. _Ms. Olivier, please. You're scaring me._ I'm fine. I'm just weirdly focused. Let me live. _I'm trying to keep you alive, ma'am._ If worst comes to worst, I know how to slow my heart rate down. _That's comforting._ Anyway, back to story news. I think next week might be the end. And the following week will be the epilogue. I'm sorry, but all good things must come to an end and such. Alright? Love you! See you next chapter! xx**

 **Edit: It is now Monday and I've come down from whatever high I was on Saturday. But hey! There's an early update, so we got that going for us. _Are you alright, Ms. Olivier?_ Just peachy, hypothetical assistant. How would you like a raise? _R-really? A raise?_ Yep. You no longer have to be in the corner and for the next time you do, you get clean newspaper. _Thank you! How sad has my life become that I've been genuinely excited over clean newspaper for my corner? *sigh*_ Hey! You're not allowed to lament in my monologues! Ehh…I'll let it slide. For now. But let's talk story instead of spastic rambling.**

 **Looks like I made NaLu official. That's pretty awesome. I also had Lucy have a slumber party. I feel like an actual slumber party with the ladies of Fairy Tail would be an absolute blast. Now, all we have left is telling the guild…I mean, obviously, Levy and Erza know. I'm sure the whole guild knows, but they're just being polite and keeping it to themselves. Also, Natsu is an awkward dork and I love him more than life itself. Any questions, comments, concerns, requests, booboos I should know about?**


	20. The Final Key

It's so strange. I got used to the guild hanging around my house. Everywhere I'd turn, another member of Fairy Tail would be right there. Although, I must admit. The new guild hall looked even better than the original. This was more of a compound than one singular guild hall. I couldn't help but wonder where the funding for it came from. Ideally, my father would foot the bill. No. His money is tainted and I wanted nothing to do with it.

As much as I missed my fellow guild members, it was really nice not having to tiptoe around about a certain blossoming relationship between two of the current members. A whole week has gone by already since Natsu finally admitted he was in love with me. And neither one of us have looked back since. We were almost living out Natsu's dream. Our house (because he might as well have moved in on day one), Natsu, Happy, and me. Everything the way it should be. And our mornings started the same way every day.

"Natsu," I poked him, my face buried in his ribs, "Natsu, we have to wake up."

"Do we?" he groaned, wrapping his arms around me, "Are you sure?"

"Unfortunately."

"We can't just stay here?" Natsu asked, "You and me?"

"I have to make rent at the end of the month," I sighed out, "And you don't like when I go on jobs alone."

"I don't," he admitted, "Fine. We can get up."

That was easy. Maybe I finally got him on a schedule. Natsu won't fight me when he's waking up anymore. Cool! I got out of bed with Natsu following close behind. Soon enough, with Happy sleepily in tow, we were off to the guild hall. Our home sweet home. Away from our current home, of course.

Phantom Lord could take a lot from us, but the feeling of walking into the guild hall will never change. And in all technicality, we were the ones who took two of Phantom Lord's top wizards. Little by little, Natsu was coming around to the idea of Gajeel and me being friends. Speaking of Gajeel, I grabbed a table with the object of his affection. Ever since Natsu and I have been together, we have been inseparable. It'll be nice to spend some quality time with Levy. The world had opened up for her since she got her cast off her leg.

"It's good to see you're feeling better, Levy," I brought us some tea. Mirajane had enough on her plate."

"It's amazing what good painkillers and time can do," Levy grinned, "Nothing can keep me off my feet for too long. You know that."

"Headstrong as always," I dropped a couple sugar cubes in her cup. I always admired that about Levy. No matter what happened, no matter how life knocked her down, she'd always find a way to get back up.

"So?" she wondered, "What have I missed? I feel like we haven't talked in forever."

"Aside from the guild hall going up," I thought out loud, "There's not much to report."

"Oh, come on," Levy pried, "There has to be something."

"Nope." News of Natsu and me had yet to spread to the guild. We figured it'd be best to keep our professional relationship professional and our private relationship private. The only one who knew was Happy, but that's only because he lived with us. Levy and Erza may have an inkling, but they didn't know we made it official yet. And so help me. If that cat opens his big mouth, I will cast eternal fire on him.

"Hey, Lucy," Natsu joined us, "Have you seen my pen?"

"Which one?" I asked.

"The one I stole from you," he described. I was wondering where all my pens were going, "I have to file our report from the engagement ring job."

"Here," I rolled my eyes, digging around in my bag, "You can _borrow_ mine. I'll keep my eye out for the other one. But I want that one back!"

"Fine! Alright!" Natsu groaned, "I'll give it back...And, uh...Lucy...?"

"What?" I had a bit of a feeling of what he wanted now.

"I, uh..." he started playing shy, "I noticed that box of matches in your bag..."

"Yes," I dug one out, striking it on the side of the box. I love this idiot, "Here. Enjoy."

"Yay!" Natsu ate the flame and the match out of my hand, almost taking my hand, too, "Thanks, Lucy!"

"You're welcome," I giggled, sending him on his way.

"Hey, Lucy," Levy smirked, "Since when did you start carrying matches? Isn't that what you have Natsu for?"

"I started carrying them because of Natsu," I admitted, "Sometimes when we're out in the field, he gets hungry. I don't think I'll ever understand it, but apparently, fire's a tasty snack."

"You and Natsu are getting awfully close," she nudged me under the table, "What's the occasion?"

"Oh," I blushed, "No occasion. We're just on the same team. We're part of the same guild. We're good friends. We work well together."

"Lucy," Levy cut me off, "What happened at the boardwalk last week?"

"What?" I squeaked, biting my tongue, "Nothing! What are you talking about?"

"Lucy..." she saw right through me, "You carry matches for Natsu. You two live together, work together, and it wouldn't surprise me if you two slept in the same bed. Now, I'm going to ask again. What happened at the boardwalk last week?"

"You were right, ok?" I got defensive, keeping my voice down, "It's not one sided. Natsu told me he loved me. And he wanted to be more than just teammates. And roommates. And friends."

"So, you and Natsu are finally together?"

"Yes."

"Awesome!" Levy's face lit up, "You and Natsu should double date with Gajeel and me."

"That wouldn't be a disaster," I chuckled. Although we both said we weren't telling anyone, it was nice to get that off my chest. I didn't know how long I'd be able to hold onto that. Especially from Levy. That girl could get information out of anyone.

"You're overreacting," she jabbed, "Natsu and Gajeel can get along for the sake of their girlfriends for one night. Double dating wouldn't kill us. It'll be fun!"

"No way," I shot her down, "Magnolia would turn into a crater and you know it."

"Again," Levy assured, "You're overreacting, Lucy. I'm sure you could keep Natsu from doing anything stupid, right?"

"Doubtful," I bit my lip, "I could try, but at the end of the day, Natsu's still Natsu. Not to mention, there's nothing Gajeel loves doing more than riling him up. Those two are fire and oil."

"Fire and iron," she corrected me, "But I see what you mean. I guess we can't...Hey, Natsu!"

"Levy, what are you doing?" I growled.

"Yes...?" Natsu slid over to us, "Did I hear you call for me?"

"Yes, you did," Levy nodded, "I need you to settle an argument."

"Sure," he pulled up a chair, "What's up?"

"Don't do it, Levy," I warned her, "It's not going to be pretty."

"So, I know about you and Lucy."

"What?" Natsu's face went blank. His horrified glare went into me, "I thought you said we weren't telling people, Lucy."

"It's Levy," I defended, "She was going to find out eventually. Everyone will one day."

"But not today!" he freaked.

"Don't worry, Natsu," Levy settled him, "Your secret's safe with me. But I still have a question."

"Alright," Natsu let out a heavy sigh, "What is it?"

"Don't do it, Levy," I reiterated.

"How would you feel..." It's her funeral, "...about going on a double date with Gajeel and me?"

"What?" Natsu froze.

"Excuse me?" Gajeel, casually walking by, stopped in his tracks.

"Yeah," Levy smiled, "I suppose I should be asking you about this, too, Gajeel."

"You want to run that by me again?"

"Would you be ok if we went on a double date with Natsu and Lucy?" she looked up at him, laying her head on his hip.

"No freakin' way," Gajeel shot her down, "Lev, you feeling ok? Your painkillers must be screwing with your head. Because that's not happening."

"I haven't taken any today," Levy clarified, "I'm perfectly fine right now. Why not?"

"I didn't even know you and Natsu were a thing, Lucy," Gajeel shifted the attention on me, "I knew you were looking for a dragon to keep you warm."

"Hey!" Natsu jumped down his throat, "What's that supposed to mean? You're just mad that it's not you!"

"Natsu!" I gave him a quick thump on his head, "I never had the same feelings for Gajeel as I did for you. You know better. I just wish your brain and your mouth could be on the same page! And Gajeel, you should know better, too. Why? Every single time. Every time you and Natsu see each other, you can't help but start butting heads. Why can't you two just be civil for a change?"

"Sorry, Lucy," Gajeel smirked, "It's too much fun to see him blow up."

"Sadist," Natsu pouted.

"He doesn't deserve it," Levy stepped in, "You should, at least, apologize."

"Fine," Gajeel submitted, "I'm sorry."

"Not too heartfelt," Natsu figured, "But I guess I'll take it."

"Do you see what you started?" I glared at Levy while our boys split off from each other.

"Well," she shrugged, "You can't fault me for trying. At least nothing got broken."

"That's your measurement for how well this went?" I gasped.

"I must admit, though," Levy smiled, "You two are cute, Lucy. You suit each other."

"You think so?" I melted inside, "Thanks, Levy. You don't think Gajeel will tell people, do you?"

"No," she promised, "Even though he adores you, he doesn't care enough about Natsu to invest that kind of time and energy, so we can chalk that up as a blessing."

"Hey, Lucy," Natsu came back to us, "There's nothing too exciting on the job board today. You want to go back to the bookstore?"

"Absolutely!" If there was anything that could put me back in a better mood, it's an aimless wander through the bookstore, "Levy, you want anything while we're out?"

"Not that I can think of," Levy sent us off, "Go on. Anyone willing to go through a bookstore with you is a certain kind of special. I wouldn't leave him waiting."

And so, I didn't. Natsu grabbed Happy and the three of us headed down the block to the coziest used bookstore in all of Magnolia. If the guild hall was my home away from home, this bookstore was my home away from home away from home. I could spend hours in here, getting hopelessly lost. Two stories (Ha. No pun intended.) of wall to wall books, waiting for me to find something good. Mmm...It made me miss the library back at the mansion, but unfortunately, I'll probably never see that again. So, this was the next best thing.

Honestly, I'd be ok with that. The mansion library may have all of my mother's books on celestial magic, but I'm sure I could find copies of them in here, too. Even though they won't have her notes in the margins. I did manage to steal a few of them when I met Paul. Light reading for the tower. That all feels like it was so long ago. But now, it's just Natsu, Happy, and me the way it should be. Anything is better than that tower.

One of my favorite parts about this bookstore was the magic section. Despite the fact that they don't have my mother's notes in the margins, someone else's notes were written down. The handwriting says a lot about the wizard that used to own this book. I hope they had copies of them somewhere. Some of these notes in the wrong hands wouldn't be pretty. But I'm sure they were harmless. I grabbed a few on celestial magic. It never hurts to expand one's knowledge. And some of them were on cooking spirits! I'm sure they'd come in handy while the three of us were out on long jobs.

"I thought I'd find you in here," a familiar voice put a knot in my stomach, "Hello, Lucy."

No. No, no, no. Happy place, Lucy. Everything's ok. If anything goes sideways, Natsu and Happy are just a few rows down. It won't kill you to say hello, "Hi, Paul."

"You're looking well," he glanced me over.

"You, too..." This was uncomfortable, right? It's not just me? I'd rather have teeth pulled than this. Why? Why did he have to come here? This was one of those places where everything was supposed to feel safe. He breached my inner sanctum. Better here than my house, I suppose.

"Lucy?" Natsu stuck his head around the corner, fully aware of my situation, "You ok?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "I'll be fine."

"So," Paul began, "How are you? It's been a while since I've seen you."

"I'm..." I didn't know what to say. Right now, I was nauseous. I had to think on my feet. The shortest response to get him to leave me alone. Come on, Lucy. Remember? Paul's not too different from him, "I'm so much better than what I was. I'm living _my_ life for a change."

"That's good," he rocked back on his heels, "Are you...seeing anyone?"

"Yep," I confirmed.

"That's me!" Natsu chirped up from behind the bookshelf.

"What about you?" I shoved the books aside, blocking Natsu's vision, "Are you seeing anyone?"

"I'm trying to..." Paul stared down at his feet. I don't know where he was going with this, but I knew I wasn't going to like it, "Lucy..."

Oh, no...No, no, no, "What?"

"You know," he slipped his hand into mine, "I always thought that if we met each other through better circumstances, we'd be so happy together. You know that you and I were meant to be. Deep down, in your heart of hearts, it will always be us. No one else will ever do for me."

"That's too bad," I stood my ground, hoping my boyfriend wasn't listening to any of this.

"Please," Paul begged, holding me against his chest, "Please come back. I miss you, Lucy. I love you. I need you in my life."

No, thank you. He might need me, but I didn't need him. I needed a shower now. And only one other person gave me that feeling. This had his stink all over it, "Paul, I'm going to ask you a question and I need you to answer it honestly."

"Of course," he groveled on his knees, "Anything for you."

I didn't want to know the answer to this, but I needed to, "Did he put you up to this? Did he send you to check on me?"

"No," Paul swore, "Please, Lucy. I miss you so much. We can even take the relationship slow this time. We won't even talk about a wedding until we've already grown old together. And I can look the other way when it comes to wizards for you."

"No," my answer remained the same, "I already have a boyfriend that actually loves me and he's not going anywhere."

"But..."

This guy was not taking no for an answer, was he? This was a lot more exhausting than it needed to be, "Do you want to see what magic can really do?"

"No," Paul gave me a look, "But you don't practice."

"Did you not see Taurus at the wedding?" I scoffed, "The big bull guy with the unhealthy attraction for me? He can and will tear you apart. All I have to do is bat my eyelashes at him. Now, leave."

"Lucy," he whined, "Why won't you give me a chance? Why won't you try to love me?"

"Look, dude," I shot him down, "It's not, I repeat, NOT happening with us. Natsu, Happy, let's go."

"You want me take him out, Lucy?" Happy chirped up.

"No," I giggled, "You're fine."

"Alright," he glared a hole through Paul, still ready to pounce.

The three of us paid for my books and left the store. I can't believe Paul thought he could waltz into my bookstore like that. That's my piece of the world. He doesn't deserve to be in _my_ bookstore. I can't believe it was getting to me this bad. And he didn't deserve my energy. But Natsu figured he still needed to approach with caution.

"Lucy?" Natsu worried, "You ok?"

I couldn't help but laugh hysterically, "Wow. It's good to know he hasn't changed. I'll never forget what Gajeel said about him. It's true. Paul is always going to be a weenie. Come on. Let's go home."

And so, the three of us headed back to our house. I loved this. We really were a family, weren't we? Although, the house still felt so empty without the rest of the guild here. It's alright, though. They're just down the street. And it's all because of him. If it weren't for Natsu, I never would've gotten here. But seeing him and Happy at my kitchen table. This was it. This, right here, was home. And I couldn't wait to see what kind of treacherous journey my home would take me on next.

 **A/N: I hate to say this, kids, but this is it. This is the end. We're going to have one more chapter next week, but that'll be more of an epilogue. So, to all of you that have stuck it out. All of you that have come back week after week after week after week. You're all so wonderful. This is my most popular update every week. At nearly 7K views at the time I'm posting this and approximately 350 views on average each week, you guys deserve some kind of medal. I'm getting sappy early. I'm going to stop now. But I pinky promise you one thing. I'll see you next chapter! xx**


	21. Epilogue: Natsu's Hidden Talent

**A/N: Hi, guys! Well. Here we are. The final chapter. The epilogue. I've been sitting on this idea for a while now. One night, while my boi, my dude and I were talking on the Snapchats, we kind of brainstormed this little delight in a roundabout way. So, enjoy the fruits of our labor. But before we do that, last week…**

 **Larissa, I fully agree with you. Paul is the weirdo breathing outside Lucy's window every night, fogging it over, drawing little hearts. I just gagged a little in all honesty.**

 **And to the guest appropriately named Guest. This chapter is full of good, old-fashioned NaLu fluff that we all know and love. There are parts that will make you smile, parts that will make you aww, parts that will make you shake your head in exasperation and I hope it's up to your standards. Thank you for sticking around for the ride. It's been wonderful having you. All of you, in fact. But we'll save my gushing for another AN, k? Enjoy!**

Things seemed so much simpler these days. Wake up, go to the guild hall, find a job, do said job, go home, cuddle my boyfriend and do it all again in the morning. Sometimes, our jobs would last a few days before we could go home, though. This time around, Natsu, Happy, and I had a cursed object to find and get rid of. The catacombs under the house were pretty extensive. Two days of dust and cobwebs for ninety thousand. Not bad for a couple days of hard work. On our way back home, it started getting dark, so we found a clearing and set up camp. And in our setting up of camp is where our story begins.

Before it got pitch dark, I went down to the stream to get some water. Happy was on berry detail while Natsu had gone fishing. All of our canteens were hanging off my wrist. Once in a while, the water would splash off the rocks and onto my bare feet. This was nice. A quiet, peaceful night. Only one thing would make this better. And I knew just the celestial spirit for the job. I twiddled through my keys, looking for Lyra's key. Then, off in the distance, a soft melody drifted through the air. It sounded so pretty. Where was that coming from? I could've sworn the three of us were alone out here.

I followed the song up the stream. Whoever you are, please be friendly. I'm exhausted and fresh off a job. Not to mention, I've been kidnapped before and I'm kind of over it. And I don't want to put the guild through that again. they don't deserve that. Off on a rock right next to the stream, I found the source of the music. And I didn't want to interrupt him. Honestly, I didn't want it to end. When the song came to a close, I walked up behind him.

"That sounded really nice," I praised, taking a seat on the rock, "I didn't know you played, Natsu."

"You like it?" Natsu put an arm around me, his instrument in hand.

"Yeah," I looked at the round piece of holey, beige ceramic laying in his lap, "What is it?"

"A transverse ocarina," he showed it off, "Pretty neat, huh?"

"A what?" I gave him a look. He might as well be speaking in tongues.

"It's like a small flute," Natsu elaborated, "I dabble a little in my spare time."

"You're really good," I gushed, resting my head on his shoulder. It was getting late and I was kind of hungry, but I've never felt so completely at peace, "I like it."

"Hey," he gave me a little nudge, "I'll play for you anytime, Lucy. We should be heading back to camp, though. I'm starving."

"Ok," I got up from the rock and followed the stream back to camp. Happy was already back with a bag full of berries.

"Where did you two run off to?" Happy asked, stretched out in front of the fire, "I've been all by myself for the last half hour."

"We weren't gone that long," Natsu jabbed, "You were alright."

"What if there was a bear?" he whined, "It would've eaten me."

"And we could eat the bear," I shrugged, "A noble sacrifice. Thank you, Happy. Your hypothetical death will not be in vain."

"So mean!" Happy cried, "We should've gotten rid of her when we had the chance."

"I love you, Lucy," Natsu giggled in my shoulder blade.

"I love you, too," I smiled, "What was that for?"

"Wow," Happy pouted, "Thanks for the solidarity, Natsu."

"Don't be such a baby," Natsu picked him up, "You know I wouldn't let you get eaten by a bear."

These two could be a bit much at times, but what can I say. They're on my team and I love them both. Natsu and Happy are my new family. And I wouldn't trade either one of them for the world. Even something as simple as the three of us having dinner around our campfire was enough for me. This felt more like home than the mansion ever did. I'm sure you understand, Mom.

A few days later, we had been back in town long enough to put in our report and get settled back in. In no time, I'm sure we'll find a new adventure for us to tackle head-on. When I woke up, I could've sworn Natsu was still home. But no. Just Happy and me.

"Morning, Lucy," Happy yawned, laying on the back of the couch.

"Good morning," I poured my first cup of coffee, "Where's Natsu?"

"He already left," he got up, "He said something about the pastry truck coming by."

Leave it to Natsu to be thinking with his stomach. Why am I not surprised? Honestly, it's one of the reasons I love him. He's a simple creature with simple desires. But then, out of nowhere, the ground shook and a loud crashing came from outside. Please don't be who I think it is. Please don't be who I think it is. Please prove me wrong.

"Come on, Happy," i grabbed my keys off the kitchen counter.

"What do you think that noise was?" Happy worried, riding on my shoulder, "Phantom Lord wouldn't attack the guild hall again, would they?"

"No," I settled him, "Gajeel had a talk with their guild master. Fairy Tail is protected from Phantom Lord. Although, I doubt that Fairy Tail is protected from itself."

Oh, Natsu...Please don't be the cause of this. I love you, but don't be the one responsible for this.

Unbelievable. Brand new guild hall and there's already a hole in the wall. Then again, it is the Fairy Tail guild hall. Home to the rowdiest bunch of wizards Fiore has ever seen. I'm more surprised it lasted this long. As long as my boyfriend isn't responsible, we'll be fine. Maybe that's just wishful thinking. I've known Natsu long enough to know he always has some sort of fire in his belly, waiting to come out.

"YOU TOOK THE LAST ONE, YOU JERK!" And Gray went flying across the room...Yep. I don't know why I thought things would be any different. Like I said. Wishful thinking.

"I told you..." Gray got up from the hole in the floor. Only for his frozen fist to put Natsu in the same position, "I NEVER TOUCHED THE LAST ONE, YOU IDIOT!"

I swear...I pulled up a seat next to Gajeel, who sat back and watched this ridiculousness unfold, "What happened? Who started it? Is Master Makarov here to stop it?"

"Master Makarov said he had to go bail an old acquaintance out of jail," Gajeel reported, "Something about breeding some kind of penguins illegally. I don't know the specifics. He left Erza in charge and she's not here yet."

"Clearly," I cringed as my two favorite morons kept trying to kill each other, "What are they even fighting over?"

"Natsu thinks Gray took the last blueberry muffin from the pastry truck," he filled me in, "They're top notch from what I understand. And because Natsu's got an itchy trigger finger, he won't hesitate to almost burn the guild hall down. If there's anything I've come to notice about Salamander since my time here, it's that Gray is his punching bag. And Natsu is his. Any time those two need to blow off steam, they'll find each other. Ten minutes or so later, they're the best of pals again. It's kind of endearing, really."

"In a sadomasochistic way, I guess," I shrugged, "So, do you know who's to blame for taking the last blueberry muffin?"

"See the wrapper on the table?" Gajeel pointed to the crumbled-up paper next to his feet. Yet again, why am I not surprised?

"And you couldn't have been bothered to tell them?" I rolled my eyes.

"This is more fun," he grinned. Alright. This has gone on long enough. I liked the new guild hall and I didn't want it reduced to rubble.

Shatter...

Uh-oh.

"LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE NOW!" Natsu growled, broken ceramic all over the floor.

"How was I supposed to know what was in your pockets?" Gray defended, "Maybe you should check them before you go picking fights."

"I'M THE ONE WHO..."

"Natsu!" I stopped him, grabbing him by the ear. Unbelievable.

"Ow!" he writhed, "Lucy! Let me go!"

"I will when you stop being stupid," I dragged him outside.

"What did I do?" Natsu squealed, "Gray started it! He knew I would want...!"

"Gajeel took it," I groaned, "He's new to the guild. He's not going to know you have dibs on the blueberry muffins."

"And now," he started to settle down, "My ocarina's busted. I guess I have myself to blame for that."

"And the guild hall's a mess," I took his hand, "How bad is it?"

"It's gone," Natsu pulled the last few pieces out of his pocket, "We should give it a proper sendoff."

"Really?" I gave him a look, "Did it have any sentimental value?"

"Picked it up at a secondhand shop on a job a few years ago," he told me, "It was a couple hours from here. No real sentimentality.

Unbelievable.

"Go home," I ordered, "Don't burn the place down. I'll find us a job."

"Ok," Natsu knew better than to fight me when he's already angry. That would lead to things he'd horribly regret. It's like Gajeel said. Gray is Natsu's designated punching bag. He'd never even think about doing something like that with me.

I left Natsu and Happy at home and headed back to the guild. The floor was already fixed and things have calmed down. I didn't even care about what job I was grabbing. The first flyer I grabbed was our next job. I wanted to get in and out before I had to answer for Natsu's idiocy. Didn't look too difficult. A lost pendant. Magical charm attached. A hundred thousand. Not bad.

Instead of going home right away, I decided to talk a walk around Magnolia with Plue for a while. This really was a pretty town. And peaceful when a certain guild can behave itself. The little shops and cafes and houses along the street made it so picturesque. It made for such a nice backdrop of the guild hall. As I passed a group of shops, one had caught my eye. I peeked into the window and saw a man at the counter. There's no way I could pass this up.

"What do you think, Plue?" I asked, "Should we take a look around?"

One squeak of approval was all I needed. The bell over the door greeted us. That sounded promising. What were the chances that hiding in this music shop in the heart of Magnolia, I'd find what I'm looking for? So many beautifully crafted instruments lined the walls of this shop. Both magical and non-magical alike. Please have what I need. Natsu looked so bummed when I left him.

"Hello!" the shopkeeper chimed, "Can I help you find something?"

"Actually, yes," I nodded, "I'm looking for an ocarina. My boyfriend's recently broke."

"Pardon me for asking," he excused himself, "But is that a celestial spirit?"

"He is," I scooped Plue up in my arms and he snuggled into my shoulder, "Why?"

"And he's yours, I'm guessing?"

"That's right."

"It's been a long time since I came across a celestial wizard," he smiled, "And going by the sigil on your hand, you're not just any wizard."

"Nope," I beamed, "I have a guild to call home."

"Fairy Tail..." the shopkeeper figured, "I've known a few Fairy Tail wizards in my time. Now, you said you were looking for an ocarina."

"Yes, sir," I confirmed.

"Magical or non-magical?" he asked, looking through the cases.

"What do your magical ones do?" I wondered, curious as to what Natsu's gotten me into.

"Some of them work as teleportation keys," the shopkeeper explained, "Some of them have healing properties. It all depends on what song you play."

Interesting, "Do you know if the teleportation would affect someone with motion sickness?"

"Even if you don't have motion sickness," he chuckled, "Throwing up upon landing is almost certain."

"Oh." Looks like that one's out of the question, "Then, a non-magical one please."

"Boyfriend has motion sickness, does he?" the shopkeeper assumed, "No matter. Do you know what kind his old one was?"

"A transverse, I think," I remembered Natsu saying something like that by the stream. One of the ocarinas in the case piqued my interest. It was black and red and gray and looked like marble. It's beautiful, "What's this one?"

"Ooh," he sang, "This one's special. It's one of my favorites. This one's called a dragon's tooth. It was made with…"

"I'll take it," I said without hesitation, "How much?"

"Thirty thousand and it's yours."

"It's mine," I dug in my bag for some money and threw it on the counter.

"Would you like it gift wrapped?" he offered.

"No, thank you," I took the bag off the counter. A dragon's tooth ocarina for my favorite dragon slayer. A little cheeky, but I like it. And I'd love to hear Natsu play again. I hope it sounds just as pretty as the old one. With a smile on my face and Plue by my side, I hid the bag in my bag and we started heading back home. Natsu and Happy were busy screwing around in the living room where I'm pretty sure the couch wasn't flipped over when I left. What is my life?

"Hey, Luce," Natsu greeted me, hiding under the flipped over couch, "Welcome home. Did you find us a job?"

"Why?" I shut my eyes for a moment, trying to pretend that my couch wasn't flipped over and my living room wasn't in ruin.

"We needed a fort!" Happy chimed from the other side, "It's cozy in here, Lucy."

"It's cozier when it's not flipped over and goes with the rest of the living room," I grumbled, "Hey, Happy, can I ask you something?"

"Sure," he climbed on top of their alleged fort, "What's up?"

"Are you going to be ok by yourself tonight?" I asked.

"Why…?" Happy looked at me skeptically.

"Where are we going to be?" Natsu shared his sentiment.

"You're not busy tonight, are you?" I batted my eyelashes at him.

"No." And he's butter.

"Awesome!" I pulled him off the floor, "You two are going to put my couch back and we're going to go out tonight. Say, thirty minutes?"

"Sure," Natsu gave me a quick kiss and sent me off.

This is going to kill him.

By the time we left home, I found another clearing just outside of Magnolia. Somewhere calm and quiet just like the other night. We were the exact amount of removed from the world for this to take full effect. I could see it all over Natsu's face. He was totally lost. Always causing me such mental anguish. It's about time I paid it forward.

"Hey, Lucy," Natsu took a quick look around. A habit he's picked up since my almost wedding, "Not that this isn't a nice spot, but why are we here?"

"Well," I bit my lip, "I was out in town today…"

"I remember. Gray took my muffin and I flipped your couch over."

"Gajeel took your…" I stopped myself, lacking the energy to deal with that mess again, "Never mind. But when I was out and about today, I was walking by a shop and I got you a present."

"You didn't have to do that, Lucy," Natsu pulled me into his lap on the ground, "But uh…what'd you get me?"

"It's kind of silly," I took the bag from the music shop out of my bag, "But I couldn't stand to see you so sad."

"What is it?" he groaned, "The suspense is killing me."

"Here," I got out of his lap and gave him his present, "Like I said, it's kind of silly."

Anxiously, Natsu pulled the bag off and held a new piece of ceramic in his hands. He completely froze, "Lucy…You got me a new ocarina?"

"It's called a dragon's tooth," I smiled, "I saw it and when the guy said it was a dragon's tooth, I couldn't help my…"

Out of nowhere, my boyfriend tackle hugged me, holding me tight against his chest, "It's perfect, Lucy. Thank you."

"You're welcome," I curled into his shoulder, "You know, I did have an ulterior motive for getting that."

"Did you?" Natsu kissed the top of my head, "And what's that?"

"I was hoping," I looked up at my boyfriend, "Would you play for me?"

A familiar smile stretched across Natsu's face. One that only he was ever capable of doing. One that made me fall in love with him in the first place ever since it popped up in my tower. I may be mad at my father for many, many unforgivable things. But I had to give him this. If it weren't for him, I would never have seen that smile, "Always."

 **A/N: I love this chapter. I love this chapter more than life itself. That ending…That ending has made me a puddle. The original headcanon was that Natsu played flute (because my dude is biased). And because I'm a nerd, I do actually play ocarina and I'm quite good at it. Is it because of Zelda? Yes. And I'm not ashamed of it. However, fun fact! The earliest ocarinas were found in…anyone? Anyone know? Germany! Weirdly enough, my last name is very German. But anyway, I decided to take the original and add a little something, something to it. When I saw flute, my first thought was ocarina. When I think Natsu and ocarina in the same stream of consciousness, it goes right to a dragon's tooth. They're so pretty and I want one so bad, but they're soooooooooooooooooooooooooo expensive…:P But onto the more serious stuff.**

 **Thank you, guys. It's been so great hanging out with you every Monday. I'm not sure what I'm going to do after this. I don't know if I'm going to reboot something or go with a different fandom. I'm always open to suggestion. I don't really have any plans for a Monday story next week. I'm thinking of just taking next Monday off, but you know how I am. Heaven forbid I take a day, you know? _That's very true, Ms. Olivier. You're going to work yourself into the ground._ I know, but it pays off. These guys get their update. I get the dribble out of my brain. It works. _But it won't kill you to take a break._ Hey, Janet? I'm working on my outro here. You think you could give me a second? _Of course…Wait…You called me Janet._ Uh…Yeah. That's your name. _But…You've never called me Janet before._ There's a first time for everything. Is there anything you want to say to the kids at home? _Oh, no…I couldn't._ Go ahead. _Well…I don't have too much to say. I hope we can have your continued support on our future endeavors and even on the past ones as well._ Of course they do. Hey, you know that project we talked about for the YouTube channel? _The GaLe project?_ The very one. _What of it, ma'am?_ When can we get started on that? _As soon as we have the proper costuming and the proper cast. We'll need at least six people._ Boo. I don't know many other cosplayers. _It looks like you're going to have to start networking._ Booooooooooooooooooo. Who knows? Might meet neat people. Wait…What are you all still doing here? Forget everything you just heard. It's all lies. It was a mirage. But in all seriousness, guys, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. You've been my number one story every week. You've been my favorite start of my week. And give yourselves a pat on the back. Or a hug. Either or. And I don't have much else to say here except…See you later. xx**


End file.
